Who was Menelaus and what was his family lineage?
Menelaus was the King of Sparta and a descendant of Pelops, son of Tantalus. He belonged to the House of Atreus as the son of Atreus and Aerope alongside his brother Agamemnon.
Questions about Menelaus
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Menelaus become King of Sparta after fleeing exile?
Menelaus returned from exile with his brother Agamemnon to drive Thyestes away from Mycenae. They secured victory with assistance from King Tyndareus of Sparta, allowing Menelaus to gain control of Sparta while Agamemnon took the throne of Mycenae.
What events caused Paris to run off to Troy during Menelaus's absence?
Paris concluded a diplomatic mission to Sparta when Menelaus attended the funeral of his maternal grandfather Catreus in Crete. Aphrodite had promised Paris the most beautiful woman in all the world after he awarded her a golden apple inscribed to the fairest, leading him to take Helen.
Did Menelaus survive the Trojan War and how many men did he kill according to Hyginus?
Athena protected Menelaus from death after Pandarus shot him in the abdomen with an arrow. Hyginus stated that Menelaus killed eight men during the war before killing Deiphobus who had married Helen after Paris died.
Where was Menelaus blown by storms on his return voyage from Troy?
Menelaus homebound fleet was blown by storms to Crete and Egypt where they were becalmed due to weather conditions. The Greeks trapped Proteus and forced him to reveal how to make the voyage home back to Sparta.