Description

Reference No.: 78J/ 2655

Origin: Flanders - Brussels

Period: 17th century

Provenance: Private Collection

Composition: Wool and silk

Dimension: W 4.46 x H 3.3

Tapestry of Brussels 17th century - King Œnée

This Tapestry represents the error of Oenea who failed to offer a sacrifice to Artemis. We can see him kneeling in front of Dionysus offering him a bunch of grapes. He thus turned his back on Artemis, who came down from the Pantheon and had no idea what would happen to him.

Historical Elements

THE KING OENEE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Amenea was the legendary king of Calydon in Etolia (Central Greece) in Greek mythology, famous for having been on the throne during the Calydonian hunt and also being the father of Meleagre and Dejanire.

Oenaeus was the son of Porthaeus and Eurythus. Porthaeus at the time would rule two neighboring kingdoms, Pleuron and Calydon, but when Porthaeus died, these two kingdoms were so given to different individuals. Thestios, Porthaeus' brother, became king of the Curates of Pleuron, while Amenea became king of Calydon.

King Kenaeus of Calydon married his cousin, Altheus, a daughter of King Thestios. Althée will give birth to a certain number of children for Oenée. His sons were Méléagre, Toxée, Clymenos, Periphas, Thyrée and Agelaus; and his daughters were Déjanire, Gorgé, Eurymédé and Mélanippé.

Early authors suggest that Meleagre and Dejanire were not the children of Oenaeus, but were born as a result of the relationship between Althusus and Ares and after Dionysus respectively.

Oenea will become a highly regarded king, and recognized as a hospitable host, often welcoming strangers to the royal court.

I - OENEE AND THE CALYDONIAN WILD BOAR

Amenea was well regarded by the gods, and it has been said that Dionysus personally instructed the King of Calydon in the art of wine making.

Every year after that, Oenaeus made sacrifices to all the major deities of the Greek pantheon for the gift he received.

One year however, Amenea neglected the goddess Artemis when he came to some of the sacrifices. Artemis does not override such an offence, even accidental. In retaliation, Artemis sent a gigantic boar to ravage Calydon's lands.

II - CALYDONIAN HUNTING

To rid his land of the unwanted pest, King Henea sent a message throughout Greece that he needed help to kill the Calydonian boar.

Many of the Argonauts who were still in Lolcus decided to go to Calydon accompanied by Méléagre, Oenée's son, also an Argonaut. Other heroes also joined the group, including the heroine Atalante, because Atalante was present in Lolcus during the competition at the Pelias funeral games when the herald of Amenea arrived.

Once in the kingdom of Amenea, Meleager hunted the beast with the Calydonian hunters and killed it.

It has often been said that Atalanta inflicted the first wound on the boar, after which Méléagre gave the fatal blow.

III - THE WAR AND THE END OF THE YARNS

Some say that Méléagre killed his uncles, and later died by his own mother, Oenée's wife who killed herself afterwards; while others say that the war that broke out between Calydon and Pleuron, a war that saw Thestios and his sons, as well as Méléagre killed in action.

In both cases, the death of the royal family of Pleuron would see Calydon and Pleuron reunite again, as they had been in the time of Oenée's father.

IV - THE OVERTHROW OF KING OENEE

Oenaeus' last direct heir, Tydée, died during the Seven against Thebes, although Tydée had a son, Diomède, at that time.

The lack of sons made Oeneus vulnerable and Agrius' sons (Thersite, Celeutor, Lycopée, Mélanippé, Onchestus, and Prothous) decided to overthrow their uncle and place their own father on Calydon's throne.

The news finally reached Diomedes from his grandfather's treatment. Diomedes came to Calydon with the company of Alcaemon, a man who had once been welcomed to Calydon by Oeneus.

Some say that Agrius killed himself after being overthrown by Diomedes, some say that Diomedes slaughtered Agrius and some of his sons. After all, Diomedes was considered one of the greatest warriors of that time and, therefore, Agrius and his sons could not compete with Oeneus' grandson.

V - THE END OF KING OENEE

Aeneas was now too old and crippled to become king again, and so Diomedes presented the throne of Calydon to Adraemon, Gorgé's husband.

Diomedes then decided to take with him Aeneas to Argos, but Aeneas never finished the journey, for the surviving sons of Agrius (Thersites and Onchestus) were waiting for him, and while he was travelling through Arcadia, Aeneas was killed. The assassins of Amenea were themselves quickly killed by Diomè