Meleager was the son of Œneus and Althea, the king and queen of
Calydon. When he was born the three Fates foretold that the child would
live no longer than a brand then burning upon the hearth. The mother
carefully quenched the brand and hid it away and Meleager grew to
manhood.
Diana, thinking that she was not duly honored by the people of
Calydonia, sent a wild boar of enormous size to lay waste the fields.
The growing corn, the vines and olive trees were trampled and
destroyed; the flocks and herds were driven hither and thither in
confusion and slaughtered. Meleager called all the heroes of Greece to
aid him in putting this monster to death. When they assembled for the
hunt, Atalanta, a famous huntress, appeared, to the surprise of all.
“Arcadian Atalanta, snowy-souled,
Fair as the snow and footed as the wind.”
--_Swinburne._
After an exciting chase, with many narrow escapes, Atalanta first
pierced the boar which was afterwards slain by Meleager. The hero,
enamoured with the lovely huntress, bestowed upon her the head of the
animal as a trophy of his success. The two uncles of Meleager, brothers
of Althea, were envious of this act and snatched from the maiden the
trophy she had received. Meleager, in a rage at the insult, slew them
both.
When Althea saw the bodies of her murdered brothers, there came upon
her a desire for vengeance on her son, and she brought forth the brand
so carefully preserved all the years, and threw the precious bit of
wood upon the hearth. The brand was consumed to ashes and as the
last spark flickered out, Meleager’s life was “breathed forth to the
wandering winds.” In remorse for her deed Althea took her own life.