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Meleager was the son of Oeneus, the king of Calydon, and Althaea. Althaea heard the prophecy of the Fates, who predicted that her son would become a great hero. However, the last Fate mentioned that his life thread would be cut when a log burning in the fireplace was consumed. Althaea quickly extinguished the fire and hid the log.

Meleager grew up and married Cleopatra, the daughter of Idas. He participated in the hunt for the Calydonian Boar and killed it in collaboration with Atalanta. However, the Curetes and the Aetolians got into a fierce dispute over who would keep the boar's skin and head. Whichever side Meleager chose would be the victor. He chose to side with the Aetolians, and for a moment, victory was on their side. However, during the battle, he killed his mother's brothers, who fought with the Curetes. At that moment, his mother cursed him, and for that reason, Meleager withdrew from the battle, allowing the Curetes to start winning.

Eventually, he yielded to the pleas of his wife and decided to rejoin the battle. He managed to defeat the Curetes, but the curse his mother had placed on him took effect. Althaea found the log she had removed from the fire when her son was born and, in her sorrow, threw it back into the fireplace, causing Meleager to die.

Deianira was Meleager's sister. When Heracles descended to Hades to retrieve Cerberus, Meleager asked him to marry his sister, and this marriage took place.