THE SUITORS OF HELEN IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Helen of Troy is arguably the most famous woman written about in Greek mythological tales; hers was a face who launched a 1000 ships. The amassing of an armada to bring back Helen from Troy was not just down to Helen’s beauty, but had as much to do with the Oath of Tyndareus taken by the Suitors of Helen prior to her marriage.
Helen of SpartaHelen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and was subsequently brought up by Leda’s husband, King Tyndareus of Sparta, as if she was his own.
Helen as a child had been abducted by Theseus, who wished to make a daughter of Zeus his new wife, although she had subsequently been recovered by her brothers, Castor and Pollux; and eventually, Helen came of age. Tyndareus therefore sent out word that eligible suitors should make themselves present in Sparta. The beauty of Helen was already widely known and soon the most eligible kings, princes and heroes from across the Ancient world were making their way to Sparta to vie for the hand in marriage of Helen. |
The Suitors of Helen
There is no definitive list for which of the men who would become collectively known as the Suitors of Helen, although using 3 separate sources Catalogues of Women (Hesiod), Fabulae (Hyginus), and Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus), 45 individual names can be ascertained.
Twelve names can be found in the surviving fragments of the Catalogues of Women, 36 names of Suitors of Helen are recorded in the Fabulae, and 31 names are in the Bibliotheca; there is some agreement, and a lot of disagreement, in the names of the Suitors of Helen thus recorded. |
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List of Suitors of Helen
Hesiod | Hyginus | Apollodorus |
Agapenor | Agapenor | |
Ajax the Great | Ajax the Great | Ajax the Great |
Ajax the Lesser | Ajax the Lesser | |
Alcmaeon | ||
Amphilochus | Amphilochus | |
Amphimachus | Amphimachus | |
Ancaeus | ||
Antilochus | Antilochus | |
Ascalaphus | Ascalaphus | |
Blanirus | ||
Clytius | ||
Diomedes | Diomedes | |
Elephenor | Elephenor | Elephenor |
Epistrophus | ||
Eumelus | Eumelus | |
Eurypylus | Eurypylus | |
Ialmenus | ||
Idomeneus | Idomeneus | |
Leitus | ||
Leonteus | Leonteus | |
Lycomedes | ||
Machaon | Machaon | |
Meges | Meges | |
Menelaus | Menelaus | Menelaus |
Menestheus | Menestheus | Menestheus |
Meriones | ||
Nireus | ||
Odysseus | Odysseus | Odysseus |
Patroclus | Patroclus | |
Peneleus | Peneleus | |
Phemius | ||
Phidippus | ||
Philoctetes | Philoctetes | Philoctetes |
Podalirius | Podalirius | |
Podarces | ||
Polypoetes | Polypoetes | |
Polyxenus | Polyxenus | |
Protesilaus | Protesilaus | Protesilaus |
Prothous | ||
Schedius | ||
Sthenelus | Sthenelus | |
Teucer | ||
Thalpius | Thalpius | |
Thoas | ||
Tlepolemus | ||
The Suitors of Helen
Across all three sources, only 7 names are agreed on by all as being Suitors of Helen:
Ajax – Ajax the Greater or Telamonian Ajax was the son of the hero Telamon, and a cousin of Achilles. Ajax was one of those heroes trained by the centaur Chiron, and had already gained a name as a skilful warrior before the gathering of the Suitors of Helen. Elephenor – Elephenor was king of the Euboean Abantians, and son of the former king, Chalcodon. Menelaus – Menelaus was the son of Atreus and brother of Agamemnon. Menelaus was an exile from Mycenae who had been made welcome in the Spartan court of King Tyndareus. Menestheus – Menestheus was the son of Peteos and king of Athens; Menetheus had been made king by Helen’s brothers, Castor and Pollox, when Theseus had been deposed. Odysseus – Odysseus was the son of Laertes, the king of the Cephallenians. Later on, Odysseus would be named as King of Ithaca, although the island of Ithaca was just one part of his kingdom. Philoctetes - Philoctetes was the son of the Argonaut and Thessalonian king Poeas. Phiolctetes was the most famous archer of the day, and also the owner of the bow and arrows of Heracles. |
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Protesilaus – Protesilaus was the son of Iphicles of Phylace. Protesilaus might have originally been called Iolaus, but took the name Protesilaus at Troy.
Many other famous names appeared in the list of Suitors of Helen compiled by the ancient writers. These other names include the likes of Ajax the Lesser, the son of Oileus from Locris, Diomedes, king of Argos, and the most famous warrior of the day, Idomeneus, son of Deucalion from Crete, Patroclus, the son of Menoetius and lifelong friend of Achilles, Polypoetes, the son of Pirithous and king of the Lapiths, and Teucer, the noted archer and half-brother of Ajax the Great.
It might be expected that other famous individuals from the period, including Agamemnon and Achilles might be listed amongst the Suitors of Helen. It was said though that Achilles was too young, and Agamemnon was already married to Helen’s sister, Clytemnestra.
Many other famous names appeared in the list of Suitors of Helen compiled by the ancient writers. These other names include the likes of Ajax the Lesser, the son of Oileus from Locris, Diomedes, king of Argos, and the most famous warrior of the day, Idomeneus, son of Deucalion from Crete, Patroclus, the son of Menoetius and lifelong friend of Achilles, Polypoetes, the son of Pirithous and king of the Lapiths, and Teucer, the noted archer and half-brother of Ajax the Great.
It might be expected that other famous individuals from the period, including Agamemnon and Achilles might be listed amongst the Suitors of Helen. It was said though that Achilles was too young, and Agamemnon was already married to Helen’s sister, Clytemnestra.
the Successful Suitor of Helen is Chosen
The list of Suitors of Helen shows that all the bravest and most skilful of fighters were present in Sparta seeking the hand in marriage of Helen; and this caused Tyndareus a problem, for choosing one over the others, was likely to lead to bloodshed, and feuds between individuals and cities.
It was then that the Oath of Tyndareus was invoked. The Oath of Tyndareus was invented by Odysseus, and was an oath that would see all suitors bound by their word to protect the chosen husband of Helen.
With the threat of violence between the Suitors of Helen abated, Helen was then given freedom herself to choose her husband, and out of all eligible suitors, Helen chose the exiled prince of Mycenae, Menelaus.
Menelaus would be handed the throne of Sparta by Tyndareus, whilst all the other disappointed Suitors of Helen returned to their homelands.
In a relatively short time though all the former Suitors of Helen were reunited at Aulis, for the Trojan Prince Paris had abducted Helen, and Menelaus had invoked the Oath of Tyndareus, to call forth a force to retrieve his wife.
It was then that the Oath of Tyndareus was invoked. The Oath of Tyndareus was invented by Odysseus, and was an oath that would see all suitors bound by their word to protect the chosen husband of Helen.
With the threat of violence between the Suitors of Helen abated, Helen was then given freedom herself to choose her husband, and out of all eligible suitors, Helen chose the exiled prince of Mycenae, Menelaus.
Menelaus would be handed the throne of Sparta by Tyndareus, whilst all the other disappointed Suitors of Helen returned to their homelands.
In a relatively short time though all the former Suitors of Helen were reunited at Aulis, for the Trojan Prince Paris had abducted Helen, and Menelaus had invoked the Oath of Tyndareus, to call forth a force to retrieve his wife.
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