Chapter 12, The Calydonian Boar Summary and Analysis

A woman named Althea marries. Her husband murders her first child. She dares to have another one anyways and receives a strange message. In this case she is told that the child will live if she prevents a particular fire brand from being used. She takes this advice even though it makes no sense whatsoever at the time. The boy, Meleager does fine, growing up perfectly nicely and quite healthy. His father Oeneus made an error of omission many years later. He made offerings to the gods but he left out offerings to Artemis, the virgin huntress. The goddess found out and was offended. She set about to punish him as a direct consequence. She did this by sending wild boars. Earlier in the text, readers were informed that there were humans who had the...