The Story of Menelaus
Menelaus was a son of Atreus and the younger brother of Agamemnon. When their father was murdered in a bitter family feud, the two brothers fled to Sparta, where King Tyndareus took them in. With his help, Agamemnon won back the throne of Mycenae.
Tyndareus's daughter Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world, and heroes came from all over Greece to win her. To avoid bloodshed, Odysseus suggested that every suitor swear to defend the man she chose. Helen chose Menelaus, who became king of Sparta, and they had a daughter, Hermione.
Years later, the Trojan prince Paris came to Sparta as a guest. Menelaus welcomed him and then left for Crete to attend his grandfather's funeral. While he was away, Paris sailed off with Helen and much of the palace treasure.
Menelaus first went to Troy with Odysseus to ask for Helen's return peacefully, but the Trojans refused. He then called on the suitors to honor their oath, and his brother Agamemnon led the great army that sailed against Troy. The war that followed lasted ten years.
In the Iliad, Menelaus and Paris agreed to settle the war in single combat. Menelaus was winning and dragging Paris away by his helmet strap when Aphrodite snapped the strap and carried Paris safely back to the city. The truce was broken soon after, when a Trojan archer wounded Menelaus with an arrow, and later he fought fiercely to protect the body of Patroclus.
Menelaus was among the warriors hidden in the wooden horse. When Troy fell, he found Helen and meant to kill her, but in many tellings he dropped his sword at the sight of her beauty and took her back. Their voyage home lasted eight years and carried them as far as Egypt, where Menelaus wrestled the shape shifting sea god Proteus to learn how to get home and heard of his brother's murder.
In the Odyssey, Telemachus visits Sparta and finds Menelaus and Helen living together peacefully again. Proteus had told Menelaus that because he was the husband of Helen, a daughter of Zeus, he would not die but would be sent to the Elysian Fields. The Spartans honored him and Helen at a shrine called the Menelaion, near their city.
Famous Myths About Menelaus
The Oath of the Suitors
So many heroes sought Helen's hand that her father feared bloodshed. On Odysseus's advice, every suitor swore to defend the man she chose, and when she picked Menelaus, that oath later bound them all to fight for him at Troy.
The Duel with Paris
Menelaus and Paris agreed to settle the war in single combat, with Helen as the prize. Menelaus was winning and dragging Paris away by his helmet strap, but Aphrodite snapped the strap and whisked Paris safely back to his bedroom.
Wrestling Proteus
Stranded in Egypt on his way home, Menelaus learned he must capture Proteus, the shapeshifting Old Man of the Sea. He held on as the god became a lion, a serpent, water, and a tree, until Proteus gave in and told him how to get home.
Helen Reclaimed
When Troy fell, Menelaus went looking for Helen intending to kill her. But when he saw her again, her beauty disarmed him, and the two returned to rule Sparta together.
Where to See Menelaus in Greece
Menelaus's Family Tree
Parents of Menelaus
Partners of Menelaus
Children of Menelaus
Frequently Asked Questions About Menelaus
Who was Menelaus in Greek mythology?
Menelaus was the king of Sparta and the husband of Helen. When the Trojan prince Paris took Helen to Troy, Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon led the Greeks to war to get her back.
Who was Menelaus's brother?
Menelaus's brother was Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. Both were sons of Atreus, which is why they are often called the Atreidae.
What happened when Menelaus fought Paris?
Menelaus and Paris fought a duel to settle the war. Menelaus was winning when Aphrodite hid Paris in a mist and carried him back to safety in Troy.
What happened to Menelaus after the Trojan War?
Menelaus took Helen back after Troy fell. After years of wandering, including a long stay in Egypt, they returned to Sparta and lived there together.
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