Menelaus challenges Paris to a duel for Helen’s return. Menelaus soundly beats Paris, but before he can kill him and claim victory, Aphrodite spirits Paris away inside the walls of Troy. In Book 4, while the Greeks and Trojans squabble over the duel’s winner, Athena inspires the Trojan Pandarus to shoot Menelaus with his bow and arrow. However, Athena never intended for Menelaus to die and she protects him from the arrow of Pandarus. Menelaus is wounded in the abdomen, and the fighting resumes. Later, in Book 17, Homer gives Menelaus an extended "aristeia" as the hero retrieves the corpse of
Nicander of Sparta Asine in return. Nicander of Sparta Nicander (reigned from c. 750 to c. 725 BC) was king of Sparta and a member of the Eurypontid dynasty. Sparta was a dyarchy, having two kings at the same time, an Agiad and a Eurypontid. The Agiad king at the time of Nicander was Teleclus, who was allegedly assassinated by the neighbouring Messenians. Nicander was the son of the previous Eurypontid king, Charilaus and was succeeded as Eurypontid king by his own son, Theopompus of Sparta. As king, Nicander and his allies the Asinaeans carried out a raid on nearby Argolis, causing the