Menestheus

Menestheus
King of Athens
General Information
Species	Human
Sex	Male
Relationships
Parents	Peteus (father) Polyxene or Mnesimache (mother)
Grandparents	Orneus

Menestheus (Ancient Greek: Μενεσθεύς) was an Athenian king in Greek mythology. He was the son of Peteus, grandson of Orneus and great-grandson of King Erectheus. He was installed as King of Athens by Castor and Pollux after abducting their sister, Helen while Theseus (Menestheus' third cousin) was in the Underworld and exiled him. Menestheus led the Athenians during the Trojan War and was succeeded as king by Demophon, son of Theseus.

Mythology

Menestheus was one of the suitors of Helen of Troy, and when the Trojan War started he brought "fifty black ships" to Troy. 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. In Herodotus, he is referred to as 'the best man to go to Troy and to draw up and marshal the troops' by the Athenian sent to request aid from Gelon, the dictator of Syracuse.

Yet, further, he is characterized as not valiant. When Agamemnon was reviewing his troops he found Menestheus in the back rows seemingly avoiding action. Later, when Sarpedon attacked the portion of the Greek wall that he was in charge of, Menestheus shivered and had to call on Telamonian Ajax and Teucer for aid. Menestheus was one of the warriors in the Trojan Horse. After Troy was sacked, he sailed to Mimas, then to Melos where he became king.

When Menestheus died, Athens passed back to the family of Theseus, with Theseus' youngest son Demophon ascending to the throne.

Family

Erichthonid Genealogy in Greek mythology

Hḗphaistos                           Erichthonius   Praxithea                                       Pandion I   Zeuxippe                                                                                   Echenais   Erectheus                   Cecrops II   Telphousa                                                                                     Metion   Iphinome     Orneus   Melaina       Pandion II   Pylia                                                                                                                                       Daedalus     Thronia   Peteus   Aethra   Aegeus       Lycus   Ismenis     Nisos                                                                                               Phrasimede   Menestheus           Theseus   Hippolyta       Iobates   Metope                                                                                             Icarus                           Demophon   Phyllis       Amphianax                                                                                                   Oxyntes   Anchiroe                                                                                                                           Apheidas         Thymoetes

Preceded by: Theseus

King of Athens Mythic

Succeeded by Demophon

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