Megapenthes of Sparta Megapenthes of Sparta In Greek mythology, Megapenthes (; Ancient Greek: Μεγαπένθης "Megapénthēs"), a Spartan prince and son of Menelaus, who ruled after his father's death and sent his mother (or step-mother) Helen into exile. In some legends, Helen was his mother; in most, however, he was Menelaus's son by a concubine, Pieris or Tereis, and was born during the Trojan War. His name means "great sorrow" and he is named that because he was conceived while Menelaus was grieving the loss of Helen. He marries the daughter of Alector in the beginning of Book IV of The Odyssey, whose name
Mentes (King of the Cicones) king in the text. He is not the same character as the Mentes in the "Odyssey", who is king of the Taphians. Mentes (King of the Cicones) In the Iliad, Mentes (Μέντης) is the King of the Cicones. In Book XVII of The Iliad, Apollo disguises himself as Mentes to encourage Hector to fight Menelaus, ("Hector, now you're going after something you'll not catch, chasing the horses of warrior Achilles, descendant of Aeacus. No mortal man, except Achilles, can control or drive them, for an immortal mother gave him birth. Meanwhile, warrior Menelaus, Atreus' son, standing by Patroclus, has just