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I。 ATALANTA THE HUNTRESS
I
They came once more together； the heroes of the quest； to hunt a boar
in CalydonJason and Peleus came； Telamon； Theseus； and rough Arcas；
Nestor and Helen's brothers Polydeuces and Castor。 And； most noted of all；
there came the Arcadian huntress maid； Atalanta。
Beautiful they all thought her when they knew her aboard the Argo。
But even more beautiful Atalanta seemed to the heroes when she came
amongst them in her hunting gear。 Her lovely hair hung in two bands
across her shoulders； and over her breast hung an ivory quiver filled with
arrows。 They said that her face with its wide and steady eyes was
maidenly for a boy's； and boyish for a maiden's face。 Swiftly she moved
with her head held high； and there was not one amongst the heroes who
did not say； 〃Oh； happy would that man be whom Atalanta the unwedded
would take for her husband！〃
All the heroes said it； but the one who said it most feelingly was the
prince of Calydon； young Meleagrus。 He more than the other heroes felt
the wonder of Atalanta's beauty。
Now the boar they had come to hunt was a monster boar。 It had come
into Calydon and it was laying waste the fields and orchards and
destroying the people's cattle and horses。 That boar had been sent into
Calydon by an angry divinity。 For when Oeneus； the king of the country；
was making sacrifice to the gods in thanksgiving for a bounteous harvest；
he had neglected to make sacrifice to the goddess of the wild things；
Artemis。 In her anger Artemis had sent the monster boar to lay waste
Oeneus's realm。
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It was a monster boar indeedone as huge as a bull； with tusks as great
as an elephant's； the bristles on its back stood up like spear points； and the
hot breath of the creature withered the growth on the ground。 The boar
tore up the corn in the fields and trampled down the vines with their
clusters and heavy bunches of grapes； also it rushed against the cattle and
destroyed them in the fields。 And no hounds the huntsmen were able to
bring could stand before it。 And so it came to pass that men had to leave
their farms and take refuge behind the walls of the city because of the
ravages of the boar。 It was then that the rulers of Calydon sent for the
heroes of the quest to join with them in hunting the monster。
Calydon itself sent Prince Meleagrus and his two uncles； Plexippus
and Toxeus。 They were brothers to Meleagrus's mother； Althaea。 Now
Althaea。 was a woman who had sight to see mysterious things； but who
had also a wayward and passionate heart。 Once； after her son Meleagrus
was born； she saw the three Fates sitting by her hearth。 They were
spinning the threads of her son's life； and as they spun they sang to each
other； 〃An equal span of life we give to the newborn child； and to the billet
of wood that now rests above the blaze of the fire。〃 Hearing what the Fates
sang and understanding it Althaea had sprung up from her bed； had seized
the billet of wood； and had taken it out of the fire before the flames had
burnt into it。
That billet of wood lay in her chest； hidden away。 And Meleagrus nor
any one else save Althaea。 knew of it； nor knew that the prince's life would
last only for the space it would be kept from the burning。 On the day of the
hunting he appeared as the strongest and bravest of the youths of Calydon。
And he knew not； poor Meleagrus； that the love for Atalanta that had
sprung into his heart was to bring to the fire the billet of wood on which
his life depended。
II
As Atalanta went； the bow in her hands； Prince Meleagrus pressed
behind her。 Then came Jason and Peleus； Telamon； Theseus and Nestor。
Behind them came Meleagrus's darkbrowed uncles； Plexippus and Toxeus。
They came to a forest that covered the side of a mountain。 Huntsmen had
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
assembled here with hounds held in leashes and with nets to hold the
rushing quarry。 And when they had all gathered together they went
through the forest on the track of the monster boar。
It was easy to track the boar； for it had left a broad trail through the
forest。 The heroes and the huntsmen pressed on。 They came to a marshy
covert where the boar had its lair。 There was a thickness of osiers and
willows and tall bullrushes； making a place that it was hard for the hunters
to go through。
They roused the boar with the blare of horns and it came rushing out。
Foam was on its tusks； and its eyes had in them the blaze of fire。 On the
boar came； breaking down the thicket in its rush。 But the heroes stood
steadily with the points of their spears toward the monster。
The hounds were loosed from their leashes and they dashed toward the
boar。 The boar slashed them with its tusks and trampled them into the
ground。 Jason flung his spear。 The spear went wide of the mark。 Another；
Arcas； cast his； but the wood； not the point of the spear； struck the boar；
rousing it further。 Then its eyes flamed； and like a great stone shot from a
catapult the boar rushed on the huntsmen who were stationed to the right。
In that rush it flung two youths prone upon the ground。
Then might Nestor have missed his going to Troy and his part in that
story； for the boar swerved around and was upon him in an instant。 Using
his spear as a leaping pole he vaulted upward and caught the branches of a
tree as the monster dashed the spear down in its rush。 In rage the beast tore
at the trunk of the tree。 The heroes might have been scattered at this
moment； for Telamon had fallen； tripped by the roots of a tree； and Peleus
had had to throw himself upon him to pull him out of the way of danger； if
Polydeuces and Castor had not dashed up to their aid。 They came riding
upon high white horses； spears in their hands。 The brothers cast their
spears； but neither spear struck the monster boar。
Then the boar turned and was for drawing back into the thicket。 They
might have lost it then； f