Erymanthian Boar

In Greek mythology, Heracles' fourth labor was to capture the Erymanthian Boar, a vicious creature that lived on Mt. Erymanthus, Arcadia.

On the way there, Heracles visited Pholus, a kind centaur and old friend. Heracles ate with him and asked for wine; Pholus had only one jar of wine, a gift from Dionysus to all the centaurs on Mt Erymanthus. Heracles convinced him to open it, and the smell attracted the other centaurs, who attacked, angry that their wine had been opened. Heracles shot at them with his poisonous arrows, and the centaurs retreated to Chiron's cave. Chiron was another wise centaur, and Heracles' old mentor. A stray arrow hit Chiron and killed him. Pholus died the same way.

After Heracles caught the Erymanthian Boar, he went back to Eurystheus who was frightened and hid in a large jar. He begged Heracles to get rid of the beast; Heracles obliged.

The Boar was also sent by Apollo to kill the youth Adonis, a favorite of Aphrodite, for revenge on her, as she had blinded his mortal son, Erymanthus because he had stumbled upon her bathing.