The Curse of Actaeon

Actaeon was a young hunter, known for his bravery and excellence in hunting stags. Growing up, his town was fraught with stories and myths about men disappearing into the woods and never returning. True to his character, he decided one day to gather his pack of hunting dogs and penetrate the forest.

Parting the brushes, breaking off small branches, flicking away insects, squeezing through narrow creeks and twisted vines, he penetrated deeper and deeper into the thicket. Suddenly, he heard maiden voices playing and singing in the distance and was drawn towards them. Parting brushes, breaking off small branches, flicking away insects, squeezing through narrow creeks and twisted vines, the voices grew louder and louder. Finally, he reached an opening where he saw the most beautiful maidens ever seen by man, bathing in a shallow pond.

He became aflush with heat. Unable to control himself, he charged towards the maidens, eyes glazed and fixated. However, one of the maidens was the goddess Artemis, who was never to be seen naked by a mortal. As Actaeon charged, locking eyes with Artemis, she became embarrassed and cursed him. Still in heat, Actaeon charged closer and closer, not realising that his bones and hair were growing out of place. As he charged further, his feet became hooves and limbs twisted into strange positions. Slowly, he transformed into a stag and lost his speech.

His dogs eventually caught up. Unable to recognise their master, they attacked and tore chunks of flesh out of him until he expired. The story reminds us, especially founders and entrepreneurs, that passion left unchecked compromises self-awareness, leading to one’s peril, often at the hands of those with whom one pursues the said goals.