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Then the boar turned and was for drawing back into the thicket。 They
might have lost it then； for its retreat was impenetrable。 But before it got
clear away Atalanta put an arrow to the string； drew the bow to her
shoulder； and let the arrow fly。 It struck the boar； and a patch of blood was
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seen upon its bristles。 Prince Meleagrus shouted out； 〃O first to strike the
monster！ Honor indeed shall you receive for this； Arcadian maid。〃
His uncles were made wroth by this speech； as was another； the
Arcadian； rough Arcas。 Arcas dashed forward； holding in his hands a two…
headed axe。 〃Heroes and huntsmen；〃 he cried； 〃you shall see how a man's
strokes surpass a girl's。〃 He faced the boar； standing on tiptoe with his axe
raised for the stroke。 Meleagrus's uncles shouted to encourage him。 But
the boar's tusks tore him before Arcas's axe fell； and the Arcadian was
trampled upon the ground。
The boar； roused again by Atalanta's arrow； turned on the hunters。
Jason hurled a spear again。 It swerved and struck a hound and pinned it to
the ground。 Then； speaking the name of Atalanta； Meleagrus sprang before
the heroes and the huntsmen。 He had two spears in his hands。 The first
missed and stuck quivering in the ground。 But the second went right
through the back of the monster boar。 It whirled round and round； spouting
out blood and foam。 Meleagrus pressed on； and drove his hunting knife
through the shoulders of the monster。
His uncles； Plexippus and Toxeus； were the first to come to where the
monster boar was lying outstretched。 〃It is well； the deed you have done；
boy；〃 said one； 〃it is well that none of the strangers to our country slew the
boar。 Now will the head and tusks of the monster adorn our hall； and men
will know that the arms of our house can well protect this land。〃
But one word only did Meleagrus say； and that word was the name；
〃Atalanta。〃 The maiden came and Meleagrus； his spear upon the head； said；
〃Take； O fair Arcadian； the spoil of the chase。 All know that it was you
who inflicted the first wound upon the boar。〃
Plexippus and Toxeus tried to push him away； as if Meleagrus was still
a boy under their tutoring。 He shouted to them to stand off； and then he
hacked out the terrible tusks and held them toward Atalanta。
She would have taken them； for she； who had never looked lovingly
upon a youth； was moved by the beauty and the generosity of Prince
Meleagrus。 She would have taken from him the spoil of the chase。 But as
she held out her arms Meleagrus's uncles struck them with the poles of
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
their spears。 Heavy marks were made on the maiden's white arms。
Madness then possessed Meleagrus； and he took up his spear and thrust it；
first into the body of Plexippus and then into the body of Toxeus。 His
thrusts were terrible； for he was filled with the fierceness of the hunt； and
his uncles fell down in death。
Then a great horror came over all the heroes。 They raised up the bodies
of Plexippus and Toxeus and carried them on their spears away from the
place of the hunting and toward the temple of the gods。 Meleagrus
crouched down upon the ground in horror of what he had done。 Atalanta
stood beside him； her hand upon his head。
III
Althaea was in the temple making sacrifice to the gods。 She saw men
come in carrying across their spears the bodies of two men。 She looked
and she saw that the dead men were her two brothers； Plexippus and
Toxeus。
Then she beat her breast and she filled the temple with the cries of her
lamentation。 〃Who has slain my brothers？ Who has slain my brothers？〃
she kept crying out。
Then she was told that her son Meleagrus had slain her brothers。 She
had no tears to shed then； and in a hard voice she asked； 〃Why did my son
slay Plexippus and Toxeus； his uncles？〃
The one who was wroth with Atalanta； Arcas the Arcadian； came to
her and told her that her brothers had been slain because of a quarrel about
the girl Atalanta。
〃My brothers have been slain because a girl bewitched my son； then
accursed be that son of mine；〃 Althaea cried。 She took off the gold…fringed
robe of a priestess； and she put on a black robe of mourning。
Her brothers； the only sons of her father； had been slain； and for the
sake of a girl。 The image of Atalanta came before her； and she felt she
could punish dreadfully her son。 But her son was not there to punish； he
was far away； and the girl for whose sake he had killed Plexippus and
Toxeus was with him。
The rage she had went back into her heart and made her truly mad。 〃I
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gave Meleagrus life when I might have let it go from him with the burning
billet of wood；〃 she cried； 〃and now he has taken the lives of my
brothers。〃 And then her thought went to the billet of wood that was hidden
in the chest。
Back to her house she went； and when she went within she saw a fire
of pine knots burning upon the hearth。 As she looked upon their burning a
scorching pain went through her。 But she went from the hearth；
nevertheless； and into the inner room。 There stood the chest that she had
not opened for years。 She opened it now； and out of it she took the billet of
wood that had on it the mark of the burning。
She brought it to the hearth fire。 Four times she went to throw it into
the fire； and four times she stayed her hand。 The fire was before her； but it
was in her too。 She saw the images of her brothers lying dead； and； saying
that he who had slain them should lose his life； she threw the billet of
wood into the fire of pine knots。
Straightway it caught fire and began to burn。 And Althaea cried； 〃Let
him die； my son； and let naught remain； let all perish with my brothers；
even the kingdom that Oeneus； my husband； founded。〃
Then she turned away and remained stiffly standing by the hearth； the
life withered up within her。 Her daughters came and tr