The Hunt of the Calydonian Boar

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Oeneus, a powerful king of Calydon, had provoked the wrath of Artemis, goddess of the hunt, by neglecting to make an offering to her. In retaliation, she dispatched a massive boar to devastate his kingdom. His son Meleager and his companions eventually succeeded in slaying the beast. However, it was Atalanta, the only woman among them, who first struck and wounded the animal with her bold aim. Unfortunately, the central section of the scene is missing, but the surviving left leg gives an impression of Meleager's incredible strength in a physical contest. Originally, the sarcophagus relief depicted him delivering the fatal blow with his lance. The smaller-scale figure of Atalanta shows only her left hand grasping the bow just above the massive head of the boar. On the right, one of the Dioscuri twins is drawing back his hand to hurl a stone. Oeneus himself appears near the left-hand edge, beneath the entrance arch of his palace. In front of him stands Ancaeus, preparing to join the hunt. Like some other heroes, he will not return alive. After the hunt, Meleager will award the trophy to Atalanta, sparking jealousy in her mother's brothers. When they try to snatch the trophy from Atalanta, Meleager kills them. Althaea is horrified by her son's deed and throws a log of wood bound to his life into the fire, ultimately sealing his fate.