---
title: Meleager
author: Mark Cartwright
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Meleager/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---
# Meleager
_Authored by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/)_
Meleager ([Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/): Meleagros) is a hero from [Greek mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Mythology/) who famously led an expedition to kill the Calydonian boar which was terrorizing the kingdom of Oeneus in Aetolia in central-western [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/). Appearing in [Homer](https://www.worldhistory.org/homer/)'s *[Iliad](https://www.worldhistory.org/iliad/)* and the later epics the *Ehoiai* and *Minyas*, the story was a popular subject in Greek and later art from [pottery](https://www.worldhistory.org/pottery/) decoration to sculpted sarcophagi.
### The Calydonian Boar Hunt
The story of Meleager is first mentioned in Book 9 of Homer's *Iliad,* although the oral tradition is likely much older. The tale, modified by Homer, is recounted by Phoenix in order to persuade [Achilles](https://www.worldhistory.org/achilles/) to rejoin the fighting during the [Trojan War](https://www.worldhistory.org/Trojan_War/). Achilles was miffed that [Agamemnon](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Agamemnon/), leader of the Greek army, had stolen his beautiful [war](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/)-prize Briseis. With things not going well, the desperate Greeks sent an embassy of [Odysseus](https://www.worldhistory.org/odysseus/) and Phoenix to convince the greatest Greek warrior to rejoin the fray. Accordingly, Meleager and the Calydonian boar hunt is used as a moral tale to show Achilles the right course of action.
Phoenix tells us that the story is from long ago, the time of heroes. The trouble started when Oeneus (or Oineus) the king of the Aetolians in Calydon (Kalydon) in the central-western part of Greece forgot to make a sacrifice to [Artemis](https://www.worldhistory.org/artemis/). Apparently, the king had made sacrifices to all the other gods of Olympus but for some reason left out the goddess of hunting. Upset at this slight, Artemis sent a huge boar with a bristling hide and great white tusks to terrorize the kingdom. First the beast caused havoc with the king's orchards but then also started killing men when they tried to capture it. Eventually, Oeneus set his son Meleager the task of forming a team of heroes capable of subduing the monster.
Meleager was a great hunter and warrior – indeed, in some versions he is the son of [Ares](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ares/), the [god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) of war – and he had already gained renown as one of the Argonauts who, with their leader Jason, had successfully found the [Golden Fleece](https://www.worldhistory.org/Golden_Fleece/). Meleager, his all-star heroes team – who included the [Dioskouroi](https://www.worldhistory.org/Castor_and_Pollux/), Jason, [Theseus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Theseus/), Peleus, and [Atalanta](https://www.worldhistory.org/Atalanta/) in their ranks - and their hounds did kill the boar but, unfortunately, a war broke out over ownership of the head and hide. This war was fought between the Aetolians and local rivals the Curetes (also Kouretes – not to be confused with the Cretan tribe of the same name), the latter besieging the [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of Calydon.
### Meleager & The Curetes
The war rumbled on and things were not going too badly for the Aetolians as the stout walls of their city resisted everything the Curetes could throw at them. Then, just like Achilles, Meleager got fed up with the fighting and withdrew. He was also angered by his mother, Althaea, who had cursed him for the slaying of his uncle and so, finished with the war, he just wanted to spend more time with his lovely wife, Kleopatra. Without Meleager's fighting skills the Aetolians started to lose the conflict. Embassies were sent to the hero pleading with him to defend his city in its greatest hour of need – his parents, priests, friends, and even his sisters begged him to fight, but this and the promise of great gifts and any part of the kingdom he wished to have failed to move Meleager. Only after Kleopatra pleaded with the hero and reminded him of the terrible fate of a city sacked by its enemies did he finally rejoin the fighting. Donning his shining armour Meleager led the Aetolians to final victory but, as it happened, never received his promised gifts.
[  Roman Sarcophagus (Detail) Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/1176/roman-sarcophagus-detail/ "Roman Sarcophagus (Detail)")Phoenix points out to Achilles that he is making his people suffer unnecessarily just like Meleager and if he joins the fighting again now, then he will not lose out on *his* promised gifts. In the end, it would be the [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/) of [Patroclus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Patroclus/), Achilles' great friend, which would persuade him to fight again the Trojans and not this pretty moral tale from Phoenix.
### Meleager's Death
In the Greek tradition, Meleager dies, of course, but we do not know in what circumstances, even if some sources declare that he was killed by [Apollo](https://www.worldhistory.org/apollo/). In later traditions, Meleager's death is elaborated upon and we are told that the manner of his death was foretold even before his birth. His mother, Althaea, was warned by the three [Fates](https://www.worldhistory.org/Fates/) that her son would live for as long as an ember in her fireplace withstood the flames. Althaea then immediately took the ember, extinguished it and kept it safe in a cupboard. Then, much later and after the successful Calydonian hunt, Meleager killed his two uncles in mysterious circumstances – possibly after they had stolen the boar hide from Meleager's love interest, the warrior Atalanta. The famous huntress had been gifted the hide as a reward for her spear being the first to pierce the boar's thick hide. At the news that her brothers had been killed, Althaea took the ember and rashly threw it into the fire and when it expired so too did Meleager. In dreadful remorse Althaea took her own life.
[  Statue of Meleager Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9780/statue-of-meleager/ "Statue of Meleager")Meleager does make one final appearance in Greek [mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/mythology/) when he meets the hero [Hercules](https://www.worldhistory.org/hercules/) in [Hades](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hades/). Hercules was on his final labour to capture the three-headed dog Kerberos who guarded the gates of Hell. The spirit of Meleager whispered to Hercules to carry a message of love to his sister Deianeira in the world of the living and he recommended his sister for the hero's wife.
### Meleager in Art
The story of the Calydonian boar hunt first appeared in Greek art in the 6th century BCE on pottery and it remained a popular subject through to [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) times. One of the earliest certain depictions is on the [Francois Vase](https://www.worldhistory.org/Francois_Vase/) (570-565 BCE) where the characters and even the dogs are named. In [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/), the myth was represented on a c. 560 BCE metope on the Treasury of the Sicyonians at [Delphi](https://www.worldhistory.org/delphi/). Perhaps one of the most energetic depictions is on a Roman marble sarcophagus from Vicovaro, now in the Capitoline Museums, [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/). In other art forms, the hero was the title character of [Euripides](https://www.worldhistory.org/Euripides/)' now lost play *Meleager*, first performed in 416 BCE.
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- [Carabatea, M. *Greek Mythology.* Adam Editions, 1997.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/9605001020/)
- [Carpenter, T.H. *Art and Myth in Ancient Greece.* Thames & Hudson, 1991.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0500202362/)
- [Homer. *The Iliad.* Penguin Classics, 1998.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0140275363/)
- [Hornblower, S. *The Oxford Classical Dictionary.* Oxford University Press, 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0199545561/)
## About the Author
Mark is WHE’s Publishing Director and has an MA in Political Philosophy (University of York). He is a full-time researcher, writer, historian and editor. Special interests include art, architecture and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share.
## Timeline
- **c. 800 BCE - c. 700 BCE**: [Homer](https://www.worldhistory.org/homer/) of [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/) writes his *[Iliad](https://www.worldhistory.org/iliad/)* and *[Odyssey](https://www.worldhistory.org/Odyssey/)*.
- **c. 570 BCE - c. 560 BCE**: The black-figure [Francois Vase](https://www.worldhistory.org/Francois_Vase/) is produced in Attica by Ergotimos (potter) and Kleitias (painter).
## Cite This Work
### APA
Cartwright, M. (2016, February 08). Meleager. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Cartwright, Mark. "Meleager." *World History Encyclopedia*, February 08, 2016. .
### MLA
Cartwright, Mark. "Meleager." *World History Encyclopedia*, 08 Feb 2016, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 08 February 2016. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.