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Book 04

THE VISIT TO KING MENELAUS, WHO TELLS HIS STORY—MEANWHILE THE SUITORS IN ITHACA PLOT AGAINST TELEMACHUS.

81 passages107 observations · 39 observed placesSHA d633efa6ccf0…

Passage 1

Lines 4–5

Canonical text · read-only

Source text

They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.

Location presence

7
·Direct

Menelaus was found feasting in his house.

See evidence text
“They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.”
·Direct

Menelaus was at Troy when he promised his daughter in marriage.

See evidence text
“They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself. ”
·Direct

Menelaus’s wedding kindred were feasting in his house.

See evidence text
“They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.”
·Direct

Pisistratus reached Lacedaemon.

See evidence text
“They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.”
·Direct

Pisistratus drove to Menelaus’s house.

See evidence text
“They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.”
·Direct

Telemachus reached Lacedaemon.

See evidence text
“They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.”
·Direct

Telemachus drove to Menelaus’s house.

See evidence text
“They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.”

Claims for this passage

13
Alector·Character·Reported

Alector is the father of the Spartan bride found for Menelaus’s only son.

See evidence text
“For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector”
Alector’s daughter·Character·Reported

Alector’s daughter is the Spartan bride found for Menelaus’s only son.

See evidence text
“For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector”
bondwoman who bore Megapenthes·Character·Reported

A bondwoman bore Megapenthes to Menelaus.

See evidence text
“Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman”

Chariots carry Hermione toward her wedding in the city of the Myrmidons.

See evidence text
“He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning.”
city of the Myrmidons·Location·Reported

The city of the Myrmidons is ruled by Achilles’ son.

See evidence text
“the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning”
Helen·Character·Reported

Helen bore Hermione but was granted no more children.

See evidence text
“heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself”
Hermione·Character·Reported

Hermione, Menelaus’s daughter, was promised to Achilles’ son at Troy and is being sent by chariot and horse to his Myrmidon city for their marriage.

See evidence text
“his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning”

Horses carry Hermione toward her wedding in the city of the Myrmidons.

See evidence text
“He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning.”
Megapenthes·Character·Reported

Megapenthes is Menelaus’s only son, born to a bondwoman, and Alector’s daughter is his Spartan bride.

See evidence text
“For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman”
Menelaus·Character·Direct

Menelaus feasts with many clansmen in honor of both his son’s and daughter’s weddings.

See evidence text
“feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter”
Menelaus’s house·Location·Direct

Menelaus’s house holds his feast with many clansmen.

See evidence text
“found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen”
Menelaus’s wedding kindred·Character·Direct

Menelaus’s many clansmen feast in honor of his son’s and daughter’s weddings.

See evidence text
“feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter”
Neoptolemus·Character·Reported

Neoptolemus, Achilles’ son and ruler of the Myrmidons, is the intended husband of Menelaus’s daughter Hermione.

See evidence text
“his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning”

Published summary

They reach Lacedaemon and find Menelaus feasting for the marriages of his daughter to Achilles's son and his son Megapenthes to Alector's daughter; the narrator also recounts the children's parentage.

Passage preview

Book 4 · Passage 1

They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.