Menestheus

Menestheus (Greek: Μενεσθεύς), the son of Peteus, son of Orneus, son of Erechtheus, and either Polyxene or Mnesimache,Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 554 - 555 was a legendary King of Athens during the Trojan War. He was set up as king by the Dioscuri when Theseus travelled to the underworld and exiled him from the city after his return.Plutarch, Theseus, 32. 1 ffPausanias, Description of Greece, 1. 17. 5Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, Epitome of Book 4, 1. 23
Menestheus was one of the suitors of Helen of Troy,Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. 10. 8 and when the Trojan War started he brought "fifty black ships" to Troy.Homer, Iliad, 2. 557Hyginus, Fabulae, 97 In the Iliad it is noted that no one could arrange chariots and shield-bearing warriors in battle orders better than Menestheus, and that only Nestor could vie with him in that respect.Iliad, 2. 552 ff Yet further he is characterized as not valiant. When Agamemnon was reviewing his troops he found Menestheus in the back rows seemingly avoiding action.Il. 4. 327 Later when Sarpedon attacked the portion of the Greek wall that he was in charge of, Menestheus shivered and had to call on Telamonian Aias and Teucer for aid.Il. 12. 331 ff Menestheus was one of the warriors in the Trojan Horse.Pausanias, Description of Greece, 1. 23. 8Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy, 12. 314 After Troy was sacked, he sailed to Mimas, then to Melos where he became king.Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, Epitome of Book 4, 6. 15b = Tzetzes on Lycophron, 911
When Menestheus died, Athens passed back to the family of Theseus.Plutarch, Theseus, 35. 5
The name Menestheus may also refer to:
*Menestheus, son of Clytius and grandson of Aeolus, a companion of AeneasVirgil, Aeneid, 10. 129
*Menestheus, an Athenian youth who was sacrificed to the Minotaur
*Menestheus, a warrior in the army of the Seven Against Thebes, participant of the disk-trowing competition at the funeral games of OpheltesStatius, Thebaid, 6. 661
==References==
Category:Greek Mythology