Menelaus time was ripe to dethrone Mycenae’s hostile ruler, they returned. Assisted by King Tyndareus of Sparta, they drove Thyestes away, and Agamemnon took the throne for himself. When it was time for Tyndareus’ stepdaughter Helen to marry, many kings and princes came to seek her hand. Among the contenders were Odysseus, Menestheus, Ajax the Great, Patroclus, and Idomeneus. Most offered opulent gifts. Tyndareus would accept none of the gifts, nor would he send any of the suitors away for fear of offending them and giving grounds for a quarrel. Odysseus promised to solve the problem in a satisfactory manner if
Hippomedon of Sparta Hippomedon of Sparta Hippomedon of Sparta (3rd-century BC) was the cousin of Agis IV in Sparta. Hippomedon was instrumental in gaining for his father Agesilaus a powerful position under Agis, but Agesilaus mismanaged affairs and they were exiled. Subsequently Hippomedon was appointed as governor of the cities of Thrace which were subject to Ptolemy III Euergetes. Hippomedon was a son of Agesilaus, the uncle of Agis IV. He must have been older than his cousin Agis, as he is said by Plutarch to have already distinguished himself on many occasions in war when the young king first began to engage