Tyndareus

First appears: Homeric Hymn XVII · To the Dioscuri

Tyndareus had sons, Castor and Polydeuces, hailed as “children of Tyndareus” in the Homeric Hymn XVII. In the account of Helen’s marriage, he required her suitors to swear that they would defend the marriage against anyone who took her by force; Menelaus prevailed over the others by giving the greatest gifts.

Relationship record

Life events

• Tyndareus required the suitors to swear an oath concerning Helen’s marriage; Menelaus prevailed by giving the greatest gifts.(The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 61–80)
  • With: Menelaus Helen
  • “But of all who came for the maid’s sake, the lord Tyndareus sent none away, nor yet received the gift of any, but asked of all the suitors sure oaths, and bade them swear and vow with unmixed libations that no one else henceforth should do aught apart from him as touching the marriage of the maid with shapely arms; but if any man should cast off fear and reverence and take her by force, he bade all the others together follow after and make him pay the penalty. And they, each of them hoping to accomplish his marriage, obeyed him without wavering. But warlike Menelaus, the son of Atreus, prevailed against them all together, because he gave the greatest gifts.”

Homeric Hymn XVII · To the Dioscuri

• child: Castor “Hail, children of Tyndareus, riders upon swift horses!”
• child: Polydeuces “Hail, children of Tyndareus, riders upon swift horses!”

Also listed in Other Figures — Minor Figures

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Extracted from the original text of Hesiod and Homerica. Made with Rho MD.