-haired Meleager's life depended on a burning piece of wood. He was married but nevertheless loved
Atalanta, towards whom he was kind enough to provoke a war. Meleager led the Calydonian Boar Hunt.
Prophecy
When Meleager was only seven days old the MOERAE appeared and declared that he
should die when the brand burning on the hearth was burnt out. Clotho said that he would
be noble and Lachesis that he would be brave, but Atropus looked at the brand burning
on the hearth and said:
"He will live only as long as this brand remains unconsumed." [Hyginus,
Fabulae 171]
Meleager's mother Althaea, on hearing that, took up the brand and put it into a chest, but
many years later this same brand was set afire again and Meleager died.
One of the
ARGONAUTS
But before that Meleager, being invulnerable, had the time to become a famous hero, and
just for a start he joined the ARGONAUTS, who sailed from Greece and came to Colchis
in Caucasus in order to fetch the Golden Fleece. At their return many among those who
had been ARGONAUTS participated in what has come to be known as the Calydonian
Boar Hunt.
His father's
negligence
For it happened that Meleager's father King Oeneus 2 of Calydon, while sacrificing the
first fruits of the annual crops of the country to all the gods, forgot Artemis. For this
reason, they say, the goddess sent a boar of extraordinary size and strength, which
prevented the land from being sown and destroyed both cattle and people.
So, my question is, was Meleager a turkey?
