Tyndareos

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Tyndareos ( . Give a wiki Τυνδάρεος Tyndareos , Attic Τυνδάρεως Tyndareos ; lat. Tyndareus ) is in Greek mythology a king of Sparta , the husband Leda , father of the Dioscuri Castor and Pollux and the (Latin Castor and Pollux.) Clytemnestra , of Helena and the Phoibe .

Escape from Sparta

Tyndareus was the son of Oibalus , king of Sparta, and the gorgophone or the nymph Bateia . According to another tradition, he is called the son of Perieres . When Oibalus died, Tyndareos succeeded him to the throne. A short time later, he and his brother Ikarios were expelled from Sparta by their half-brother Hippokoon , who then took over the government.

In exile

Where Tyndareos and Ikarios fled to is given differently: Either to Pellana in Laconia or to his half-brother Aphareus in Thalanae in Messenia . The most widespread version lets them get to Thestios , the king of Pleuron . They stood by him in the fight against his neighbors and helped him to conquer Akarnania . For the faithful service Tyndareos received Leda, the king's daughter, to wife.

Leda was seduced by Zeus , who had given himself the shape of a swan. She gave birth to a daughter and two eggs. Twins hatched from the first egg - the Dioscuri Castor and Polydeukes. From the other Helena . These three children were from Zeus. The daughter born together with the eggs was Clytaimnestra, the daughter of Tyndareos. Other children of Tyndareos and Leda were Phylonoe and Timandra .

Return to Sparta

After Heracles killed Hippocoon and his sons, Tyndareus was reinstated as king. His daughter Phylonoe was made immortal by Artemis . He married Timandra with Echemus and Klytaimnestra first with Tantalus , the son of Thyestes . When Thyestes seized power in Mycenae , the two deposed princes, Agamemnon and Menelaus, came to Sparta. Tyndareos received them and helped them drive Thyestes out. Agamemnon killed Tantalus and his newborn son and married Clytaimnestra.

When the time came for Helena, who was considered the most beautiful woman in the world, to marry, many Greek kings and princes asked for her hand in person or through envoys, including Odysseus , Menestheus , Ajax the Great , Patroclus and Idomeneus , her favorite but was Menelaus, who, according to some sources, had not come himself, but was represented by his brother Agamemnon. All of them brought many rich gifts with them - except for Odysseus.

Tyndareos did not want to accept any of the presents, nor did he want to send any of the suitors away for fear of offending them and giving them reasons for an argument. Odysseus promised to solve the problem in a satisfactory way if Tyndareos would support him with Penelope , the daughter of Icarius . Tyndareos readily agreed, and Odysseus suggested that all suitors, before making the decision, swear a solemn oath to defend the chosen husband against anyone who would quarrel with him. This ruse was successful, Helena and Menelaus were married. Because of this oath, all who took the oath were obliged to support Menelaus and participate in the Trojan War after Helena was kidnapped by Paris .

After Tyndareo's death, Menelaus became king of Sparta because the only male heirs, Castor and Pollux, died and ascended to Olympus . Tyndareo's tomb was on the Acropolis of Sparta.

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predecessor Office successor
Oibalos King of Sparta
13th century BC Chr.
The first period of government
(fictional chronology) 		Hippocoon
predecessor Office successor
Hippocoon King of Sparta
13th century BC Chr.
2. reign
(fictional chronology) 		Menelaus