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Greek Mythology Notes

Erymanthus

🏛 placeἘρύμανθος
geography

An Arcadian mountain where the monstrous Erymanthian Boar lived, target of Heracles' fourth labour.‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍

The Story of Erymanthus

On the slopes of Mount Erymanthus in Arcadia roamed a gigantic boar that was ravaging the settlements of the region.‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍ Heracles was sent to capture it alive — a task made harder by the instruction that it must not be killed. On his way to the mountain, Heracles visited the centaur Pholus, who opened a communal wine jar belonging to all the centaurs. The scent drove the other centaurs mad; a brawl broke out and Heracles accidentally wounded the wise centaur Chiron with a poisoned arrow. Heracles drove the boar into deep snow to slow it, then wrestled it into chains and carried it back to Mycenae.

Parents

{Artemis (boar possibly sacred to her)}

Children

{}

Symbols

boarsnowchainsmountain

Fun Fact

When Heracles arrived at Mycenae carrying the live Erymanthian Boar, King Eurystheus was so terrified he hid in a large bronze storage jar buried in the ground.

Explore Further

Pelion

🏛 place

Geography

A forested mountain in Thessaly, home of the centaur Chiron and the site where the Argo was built

none

Erymanthian Boar

🐉 creature

Giant boar of Mount Erymanthos

The Erymanthian Boar was a gigantic wild boar that ravaged the lands around Mount Erymanthos in Arcadia — the fourth labour of Heracles.

Calydon

🏛 place

geography

An Aetolian city whose king's neglect of Artemis brought a devastating divine boar to ravage the land.

Centaur

🐉 creature

Gentle centaur host of Heracles

Pholus was a civilised centaur who hosted Heracles on his way to capture the Erymanthian Boar — accidentally triggering a battle with the other centaurs.

Oeta

🏛 place

geography

The Thessalian mountain where Heracles built his own funeral pyre and was consumed by fire, ascending to Olympus.

Cenaeum

🏛 place

geography

A promontory on the northwestern tip of Euboea where Heracles built an altar and put on the fatal shirt of Nessus.

Aetolia

🏛 place

geography

A region of northwestern Greece associated with the Calydonian Boar Hunt and the hero Meleager.

Aventine Hill

🏛 place

geography

One of the seven hills of Rome, associated with the fire-breathing monster Cacus and Heracles' cattle.

Calydonian Boar

🐉 creature

Monstrous boar sent by Artemis

The Calydonian Boar was a massive, destructive beast sent by Artemis to ravage Calydon after King Oeneus forgot to honour her in sacrifice.

Caucasus Mountains

🏛 place

geography

The mountain range at the edge of the known world where Prometheus was chained as punishment for stealing fire.

Caucasian

Calydonian Boar Hunt

💭 concept

Narrative

The great hunt that assembled heroes from across Greece to destroy a divine boar sent by the wrathful Artemis

Mount Pelion

🏛 place

mountain, Thessaly

A forested mountain in Thessaly, home of the wise Centaur Chiron and the site of the fateful wedding of Peleus and Thetis.