when vehement wrath came upon any, [that] they were both appeasable by gifts, and to be reconciled by words. I remember this ancient and by no means modern deed, of what sort it was; and 1 will repeat it among you all, being friends. The Curetes and Ætolians, obstinate in battle, fought around the city of Calydon, and slaughtered each other; the Ætolians, in defense of lofty Calydon, the Curetes, eager to lay it waste in war; for between them had golden-throned Diana excited mischief, indignant because Œneus had not offered the first-fruits in sacrifice in the fertile spot of ground:[1] while the other gods feasted on hecatombs, but to the daughter of mighty Jove alone he sacrificed not. Either he forgot,[2] or did not think of it, but he did greatly err in mind. But she, the daughter of Jove, delighting in arrows, enraged, sent against [him] a sylvan wild boar, with white tusks, which did much detriment, as is the wont [of boars], to the land of Œneus. And many tall trees, one after another, did he prostrate on the ground, with their very roots and the blossom of their fruit. But him Meleager, son of Œneus, slew, assembling huntsmen and dogs from many cities; for he would not have been subdued by a few mortals: so mighty was he, and he caused many to ascend the sad funeral-pile. Still she (Diana) excited around him[3] a great tumult and war between the Curetes and magnanimous Ætolians, for the head and bristly skin of the boar.[4] While warlike Meleager fought, so long were the Curetes unsuccessful; nor were they able, although numerous, to remain without the wall. But when wrath, which swells the minds of others, though very prudent, within their breasts, came upon Meleager, for, enraged at heart with his dear mother Althæa, he remained
- ↑ Cf. Hesiod, Theog. 54. Μνημοσύνη, γουνοῖσιν ἐλευθῆρος μεδέουσα. Like οὖθαρ ἀρούρης, in ver. 141, it is an expression denoting excessive fertility.
- ↑ So Xenoph. de Venat. § 1. Οἴνεως δ' ἐν γήρᾳ ἐπιλαθομένου τῆς ζεοῦ. See an excellent sketch of the story in Grote, vol. i. p. 195, sqq. Cf. Hygin. Fab. clxxii.; Lactant. Arg. fab. Ovid. viii. 4; Antonim. Lib. Met. § 2.
- ↑ i. e., the boar.
- ↑ On the legend of this war, see Apollodor. i. 8, 2; Callimach. in Dian. 216; Ovid, Met. viii. 260. A catalogue of the heroes who accompanied Meleager is given by Hyginus, Fab. clxxiii.
