Some years later, Paris , a Trojan prince came to Sparta to marry Helen, whom he had been promised by Aphrodite. Helen fell in love with him and left willingly, leaving behind Menelaus and Hermione, their nine-year-old daughter. Menelaus called upon all the other suitors to fulfill their oaths, thus beginning the Trojan War. Virtually all of Greece took part, either attacking Troy with Menelaus or defending it from them. In the Iliad Menelaus fights bravely and well, even when wounded, and distinguishes himself particularly by recovering the body of Patroclus after the latter is killed by Hector.
Although he is depicted as a reasonably wise and just leader, he has a tendency to rattle off fatuous bromides in the most inappropriate circumstances.
During the war, Menelaus' weapon-carrier was Eteoneus. Odyssey IV, 22, According to some versions, Menelaus stayed in the court of King Polybus of Thebes for a time after the war. According to the Odyssey, Menelaus' homebound fleet was blown by storms to Crete and Egypt where they were unable to sail away because the wind was calm.
Menelaus had to catch Proteus, a shape-shifting sea god to find out what sacrifices to which gods he would have to make to guarantee safe passage. Proteus also told Menelaus that he was destined for Elysium Heaven after his death. Museum number H,5. Production place Published in: Bologna province. Museum number , Production place Published in: Rome city. Production place Published in: Paris France. Production place Published in: London England.
The two brothers rose to power after each married a princess of Sparta, thus securing an alliance with the Lacedaemonians.
Although not in his prime, Menelaus is still a mighty warrior who inspires awe and fear on the battlefield. Menelaus enters the Trojan War as the aggrieved party and is rightfully seeking bloody revenge on Prince Paris and his wayward wife.
Even if it means bringing down the entire kingdom of Troy. Drawing of image in H. Catling, E xcavations at the Menelaion, Sparta The objects use is unknown.
Drawing from H. Catling, Excavations at the Menelaion, Sparta Lead votives various dates depicting warriors. Photograph from A. Animal shaped votives various dates showing, clockwise from the top: a terracotta lion, a lead goat, a bronze lion head and a bronze bull head. Drawing of image from A. Lead votives various dates depicting winged godesses. Archaeological Development Mycenaean Remains: The Menelaion is not the only archaeological remain to be found at this site. The shrine's Remains: The association with Menelaus led to the interpretation that the shrine may have been placed there as the Spartans believed it to be the home of the hero they were worshipping.
Excavations: The site was first identified by L. Ross in who undertook several days of excavations of the Menelaion.
In the British School at Athens, led by J. Droop, M. Thompson, and A. Wace conducted the first thorough excavation of the Menelaion site. They also uncovered the third mansion. In a team under R. In the British School in Athens returned under H. Catling to focus on the Mycenaean remains and attempt to find a link between them. He uncovered the remains of mansions one and two and also found the first offerings dedicated to explicitly to Helen and Menelaus.
Ritual Activity Sacrifice- Little evidence has been found at the site to explicitly show the use of sacrifice at the shrine. The differences in the types of sacrifice shows a marked difference in the worship of the Gods and of Heroes Dedications- The shrine provided a wealthy deposit of offerings and dedications which were found both at the site and nearby to the site.
0コメント