Editing Atalanta (section)

=== The Calydonian boar hunt ===
[[File:Wall painting - Meleagros and Atalanta - Pompeii (VI 9 3) - Napoli MAN 8980.jpg|thumb|Fresco depicting Atalanta and [[Meleager]] resting after successfully hunting the [[Calydonian boar]], [[Pompeii]]]]
In an annual celebration, [[Oeneus|King Oeneus]] of [[Calydon]] had forgotten to honour Artemis with a sacrifice in his rites to the gods.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=APOLLODORUS, THE LIBRARY BOOK 1.8.2-3, Theoi Classical Texts Library |url=https://www.theoi.com/Text/Apollodorus1.html#8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061120121407/http://www.theoi.com/Text/Apollodorus1.html |archive-date=2006-11-20 |access-date=2021-03-08 |website=www.theoi.com}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> In anger, she sent the [[Calydonian Boar|Calydonian boar]], a monstrous [[wild boar]] that ravaged the land, cattle, and people, and prevented the crops from being sown.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=PHILOSTRATUS THE YOUNGER, IMAGINES 13 - Theoi Classical Texts Library|url=https://www.theoi.com/Text/PhilostratusYounger2.html#15|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-08|website=www.theoi.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705175432/http://www.theoi.com/Text/PhilostratusYounger2.html |archive-date=2008-07-05 }}</ref> Atalanta was called upon to join [[Meleager]], [[Theseus]], [[Castor and Pollux|Pollux]], [[Telamon]], Peleus, and all those who were part of the Argonaut expedition on the hunt for the boar.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> Many of the men were angry that a woman was joining them, but Meleager, though having a family of his own, convinced them otherwise as he desired to father a child with Atalanta after hearing of her expertise in archery and beauty while hunting.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=OVID, METAMORPHOSES 8.300 - Theoi Classical Texts Library|url=https://www.theoi.com/Text/OvidMetamorphoses8.html#3|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-08|website=www.theoi.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930182632/http://www.theoi.com/Text/OvidMetamorphoses8.html |archive-date=2007-09-30 }}</ref>

During the hunt [[Hylas|Hyleus]] and [[Ancaeus (son of Lycurgus)|Ancaeus]] were killed, Peleus accidentally killed a fellow hunter and others were wounded. Atalanta drew first blood on the boar with her bow.<ref name=":4" /> After this feat, killing the boar became a collective effort as, after the initial blow, [[Amphiaraus]] shot the boar's eye and Meleager ended its life.<ref name=":4" /> Meleager awarded the hide to Atalanta for her valor,<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Pausanias, Description of Greece, Arcadia, chapter 45, section 2|url=http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+8.45.2&fromdoc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160|access-date=2021-03-08|website=www.perseus.tufts.edu}}</ref> but it was taken away by Meleager's uncles, [[Plexippus]] and [[Toxeus]], who considered it dishonorable for a woman to hold such a prize.<ref name=":4" /> In response, Meleager killed his uncles.<ref name=":4" /> [[Althaea (mythology)|Althaea]], Meleager's mother, became grief-stricken after hearing of her brothers’ deaths and threw the log that was tied to her son's life into a fire, killing him.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" />