The Calydonian boar
Preserved but no longer current.
In Greek legend, CEneus, king of Calydon, in ^Etolia, having neglected to sacrifice to Artemis, was punished by the goddess sending a ferocious boar to ravage his lands. A band of heroes collected to hunt the boar, which was wounded by Atalanta, and killed by Meleager.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Calydonian boar” mean?
In Greek legend, CEneus, king of Calydon, in ^Etolia, having neglected to sacrifice to Artemis, was punished by the goddess sending a ferocious boar to ravage his lands. A band of heroes collected to hunt the boar, which was wounded by Atalanta, and killed by Meleager.
Is “The Calydonian boar” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.