Menelaus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Menelaus
King of Sparta
Member of the Achaeans
Marble bust of Menelaus, Vatican Museums
Personal information
Consort	Helen
Offspring	Hermione, Nicostratus, Megapenthes, Pleisthenes
Parents	Atreus and Aerope
Siblings	Agamemnon

In Greek mythology, Menelaus was a powerful Greek king of Sparta. He lived during the Mycenaean period, long before the Dorian people arrived.

Menelaus is famous because of the Trojan War. This huge war started when his wife, Helen, left him for a Trojan prince named Paris. Menelaus was a very important leader in the war. He led the Spartan soldiers as part of the Greek army. His older brother, Agamemnon, who was king of Mycenae, led the entire army.

You can read about Menelaus in two very old and famous Greek poems. These are the Iliad and the Odyssey. He was also a popular character in Greek art and plays.

Family and Home

Menelaus came from a famous family. His ancestor was Pelops, the son of Tantalus. Menelaus was the younger brother of Agamemnon. He was married to Helen of Troy, who was known as the most beautiful woman in the world.

According to the Odyssey, Menelaus and Helen had one child together. This was a daughter named Hermione. Other old stories say they had more children, or that Menelaus had sons with other women.

Menelaus's Story

Becoming King

Early stories about Menelaus are not very detailed. More complete accounts came later, after the 5th century BC. These stories tell us that Menelaus's father, Atreus, had a big fight with his brother Thyestes. They both wanted to be king of Mycenae.

After a long struggle, Thyestes took the throne. His son, Aegisthus, killed Atreus. Because of this, Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon had to leave their home. They lived in exile for a while.

Later, they decided it was time to take back their family's throne. They got help from King Tyndareus of Sparta. Together, they drove Thyestes away. Then, Agamemnon became the king of Mycenae.

Helen's Marriage

King Tyndareus had a stepdaughter named Helen. When it was time for her to marry, many kings and princes wanted her hand. They came from all over Greece. Some of these famous men included Odysseus, Ajax the Great, and Patroclus. Many of them offered rich gifts to Tyndareus.

Tyndareus was worried. He did not want to choose one suitor and make the others angry. Odysseus offered a clever idea. He said that if Tyndareus helped him marry his niece, Penelope, he would solve the problem. Tyndareus agreed.

Odysseus suggested that all the men who wanted to marry Helen should make a promise. They had to swear a very serious oath. This oath meant they would all defend Helen's chosen husband if he ever faced trouble. Everyone agreed and swore the oath.

Then, Menelaus was chosen to marry Helen. All the other suitors kept their promise. Helen and Menelaus got married. Menelaus became the ruler of Sparta after Tyndareus and Leda gave up their thrones.

Archaeologists have found what they think might have been Menelaus's palace. It was discovered in Pellana, in a region called Laconia. This area is to the north-west of modern Sparta. However, some experts think Pellana is too far from other ancient cities to have been Menelaus's main capital.

The Trojan War Begins

The story of the Trojan War starts with a goddess named Aphrodite. She promised Paris, a prince of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world. This was because Paris had chosen her as the fairest goddess.

Menelaus was away in Crete for a funeral. While he was gone, Paris visited Sparta. He ran off to Troy with Helen. Even Paris's own brother, Hector, had told him not to do this.

Menelaus and Agamemnon were furious. They reminded all the Greek kings of the oath they had sworn to Tyndareus. They gathered a huge fleet of a thousand ships. Their goal was to sail to Troy and bring Helen back home.

The people of Troy refused to return Helen. This refusal gave the Greeks a reason to start a war. And so, the long and famous Trojan War began.

Menelaus in Battle

Homer's Iliad tells us a lot about what Menelaus did during the Trojan War. He was a brave fighter. One ancient writer says Menelaus killed eight men during the war.

Menelaus was also one of the Greek soldiers who hid inside the famous Trojan Horse. This was a clever trick that helped the Greeks finally enter the city of Troy. When Troy was attacked, Menelaus found Deiphobus. Deiphobus had married Helen after Paris died. Menelaus killed him.

Menelaus then searched for Helen in the conquered city. He was very angry about her betrayal. He raised his sword, ready to kill her. But when he saw her crying and begging for her life, his anger disappeared. He felt sorry for her and decided to take her back as his wife.

After the war, Menelaus and Helen returned to Sparta. The stories say they made up and lived a happy life together.

In Ancient Greek Plays

Menelaus is a character in several ancient Greek plays from the 5th century BC. These plays include Ajax by Sophocles. He also appears in many plays by Euripides, such as Andromache, Helen, Orestes, Iphigenia at Aulis, and The Trojan Women.

See also

In Spanish: Menelao para niños

• 1647 Menelaus, a space rock named after him
• USS Menelaus (ARL-13), a ship named after him
• Menelaus (lunar crater), a crater on the Moon named after him