Who was Menelaus in Greek mythology?
Menelaus was a king of Sparta in Greek mythology, the husband of Helen of Troy and the younger brother of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. He led the Spartan contingent of the Greek army during the Trojan War.
Questions about Menelaus
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Menelaus become the husband of Helen of Troy?
Menelaus won Helen's hand after her suitors, following a plan proposed by Odysseus, swore an oath to defend whichever man was chosen and then drew straws for her hand. Menelaus drew the winning lot and married Helen, becoming ruler of Sparta.
What caused the Trojan War according to the Menelaus story?
The Trojan War began after the Trojan prince Paris took Menelaus's wife, Helen, to Troy, despite the objections of his brother Hector. Menelaus and Agamemnon then invoked the oath sworn by Helen's former suitors and raised a fleet of a thousand ships to win her back.
What did Menelaus do when he found Helen again after the fall of Troy?
Ancient sources give differing accounts. In one version he raised his sword to kill her but was overcome with pity when he saw her weeping at his feet, and in another her beauty made him drop the sword and take her back to his ship.
How many men did Menelaus kill during the Trojan War?
According to the writer Hyginus, Menelaus killed eight men during the Trojan War. Hyginus also lists him as one of the Greek warriors hidden inside the Trojan Horse.
What happened to Menelaus and Helen after the Trojan War?
Menelaus's fleet was blown off course by storms to Crete and then Egypt before he made it back to Sparta, where Book 4 of the Odyssey describes him living in apparent harmony with Helen. In Euripides's play Helen, Menelaus is reunited with Helen after death on the Isle of the Blessed.