Now talking Fame, through every Grecian town, Had spread, immortal Theseus, thy renown. From him, the neighbouring nations, in distress, In suppliant terms implore a kind redress.
Meleager, the son of Oeneus, King of Aetolia, destroys a frightful boar, which desolates the whole country by the command of Diana, as a punishment for the neglect of her worship—The conqueror bestows the head and skin of the animal on Atalanta, who first wounded it—This partiality inflames the resentment of the uncles of the youth, who endeavour to rob the heroine of her honourable present, and are killed by their nephew in the attempt—Althaea, the mother of Meleager, no sooner hears this intelligence, than she snatches a brand, on which the life of her son is said to depend, who expires as soon as it is consumed—The daughters of Althaea, while bewailing the fate of their brother, are changed into birds.