Tyndareus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Tyndareus

26 passages from 9 ancient authors that tell of Tyndareus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Tyndareus was a king of Sparta in Greek mythology, son of Oebalus and Gorgophone. He was the husband of Leda, with whom he had a number of children, i... For the story in one place, read our article on Tyndareus.

Hesiod (2)

Hesiod, Fragments 1.68The suitors of HelenThe best-preserved passage of the Catalogue lists the heroes who came to woo Helen, each with his gifts, from Philoctetes and the sons of Amphiaraus to Odysseus, Menestheus, Aias and Idomeneus. Tyndareus sends none away and receives no gift, and the passage ends with the birth of Hermione.
Hesiod, Fragments 1.61–67Asclepius, Echemus and the TyndaridsThe section begins with Serus and Alazygus and then discusses whether Asclepius was the son of Arsinoe or of Coronis. It goes on to Echemus and Timandra, and to the descent of Castor and Polydeuces and the story that Tyndareus forgot Aphrodite in a sacrifice.

Homer (1)

Homer, Odyssey 11.225–332The women of oldPersephone sends up the ghosts of the women who were wives and daughters of heroes, and Odysseus questions each in turn. He sees Tyro, Antiope, Alcmene, Megara, Epicaste, Chloris, Leda, Iphimedeia, Phaedra, Procris, Ariadne, Maera, Clymene and Eriphyle. He then breaks off, saying that the night is late.

Apollodorus (2)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.10.1–9Hermes, Asclepius, Leda and the suitors of HelenThe Pleiades are named, and Maia bears Hermes to Zeus, who steals Apollo's cattle, invents the lyre and trades it for the cattle and the art of divination. The line of Taygete and Lacedaemon leads to Hyacinth, to Asclepius, son of Apollo and Coronis, whom Zeus strikes with a thunderbolt for raising the dead, and to Tyndareus and Icarius. Zeus, as a swan, lies with Leda, who bears Helen and the Dioscuri (or, in another version, Nemesis lays Helen's egg), and Theseus carries Helen off. The kings of Greece court Helen, and Tyndareus, on Odysseus's advice, binds them by an oath to defend the chosen husband.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome E.2.1–16Tantalus, Pelops and the house of AtreusThe Epitome describes the punishment of Tantalus in Hades, Pelops' revival after being boiled at the gods' banquet, and his winning of Hippodamia from Oenomaus with the help of the charioteer Myrtilus, whom he then drowns. It follows the sons of Pelops: Atreus and Thyestes quarrel over the kingdom of Mycenae because of the golden lamb, Atreus serves Thyestes his own sons, and Aegisthus, born to Thyestes by his daughter, kills Atreus. It ends with Agamemnon, Menelaus and the children of Agamemnon.

Pindar (2)

Pindar, Olympian Odes 3.1–45Olympian 3: for Theron — Heracles and the olive treePindar prays to the Dioscuri and to Helen as he honours Theron of Acragas, victor in the chariot race, and links his crown to the olive of Olympia. He tells how Heracles, who had set up the games, brought the olive from the land of the Hyperboreans and the Ister to shade the bare precinct of Pelops, after chasing the golden-horned hind for Eurystheus. He ends by saying that Theron's prowess has reached the pillars of Heracles, beyond which none can go.
Pindar, Nemean Odes 10.1–90Nemean 10: for Theaeus — Castor and PolydeucesPindar praises Argos, the city of Danaüs and Hera, and its famous heroes, among them Proetus, and the victories of Theaeus in wrestling. He tells how Idas killed Castor in a quarrel over cattle, how Polydeuces prayed to Zeus to die with his brother, and how Zeus allowed them to share their fate by living alternately under the earth and on Olympus.

Euripides (8)

Euripides, Orestes 448–490Second episode: Tyndareus arrives in mourningOrestes asks Menelaus to share his good fortune with his friends, and the Chorus announces Tyndareus, in mourning for Clytemnestra. Orestes shrinks from facing the old man who nursed him. Tyndareus greets Menelaus and, seeing Orestes, asks whether he is speaking to that godless wretch.
Euripides, Iphigenia at Aulis 49–104Prologue: Agamemnon explains the oath, the delay and Calchas' demandAgamemnon tells how Tyndareus made the suitors of Helen swear an oath to defend her husband, and how she chose Menelaus before Paris came and carried her off. He tells how the Greek army gathered at Aulis and was weatherbound, and how the seer Calchas said that his own daughter Iphigenia must be sacrificed to Artemis. Menelaus persuaded him to write to his wife, summoning the girl on the pretence of a wedding with Achilles.
Euripides, Electra 988a–1050Exodos: Clytemnestra arrives and defends the killing of AgamemnonThe Chorus greets Clytemnestra, who arrives in a chariot, with her Trojan slave women, and tells them to take her hand as she steps down. Electra, who says she lives as a slave, tells her mother of her state, and Clytemnestra defends herself, saying that Agamemnon plotted against his own family when he sacrificed her daughter Iphigenia, and that she did what she did because of it.
Euripides, Orestes 491–543Second episode: Tyndareus accuses Orestes and tells Menelaus to abandon himTyndareus argues that Orestes should have banished his mother, as the law of Hellas required, and not killed her. He asks where the chain of murder for murder would end. He tells Menelaus not to oppose the gods and to leave him to be stoned.
Euripides, Orestes 544–629Second episode: Orestes defends the matricide; Tyndareus goes to rouse ArgosOrestes says that he is unholy for killing his mother but holy in avenging his father, and that the murder of husbands by wives had to be stopped. He says that Apollo commanded the deed and should be blamed. Tyndareus answers angrily, says that Electra deserves to die even more, tells Menelaus not to help him, and goes to rouse the Argives.
Euripides, Orestes 682–728Third episode: Menelaus will only try persuasionMenelaus says that he wants to save Orestes but has no army, and that an angry people may calm down if they are handled gently. He goes to try to persuade Tyndareus and the city. Orestes reproaches him as the worst of men in his friends' defence, and sees Pylades coming.
Euripides, Orestes 902–959Messenger speech: the debate and Orestes' sentenceThe Messenger tells how a bold man urged stoning, prompted by Tyndareus, and how a farmer of good character spoke for Orestes. Orestes then spoke in his own defence, but the assembly was swayed against him. They allowed him to die by his own hand, together with his sister, this day.
Euripides, Iphigenia at Aulis 1–48Prologue: Agamemnon and the old servant before dawnAgamemnon calls an old servant out of his tent before dawn, when the sea is calm and the winds are hushed, and says that he envies those who live in obscurity rather than those in high office. The old servant answers that a chief must take joy and sorrow alike, and tells him that he has seen him writing a letter and erasing it. He asks him to share his trouble, and reminds him that Tyndareus sent him as part of Clytemnestra's dowry.

Apollonius Rhodius (2)

Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 2.1–98Polydeuces and Amycus: the boxing matchOn the shore of the Bebrycians king Amycus makes every stranger box with him and challenges the crew. Polydeuces accepts, and after a long exchange of blows kills Amycus with a stroke above the ear.
Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 2.720–814Lycus and the MariandyniArgo reaches the Acherusian headland in the land of the Mariandyni, whose king Lycus welcomes the slayers of Amycus and honours Polydeuces as a god. Jason tells the story of the voyage, and Lycus, who remembers Heracles, praises him. At dawn Lycus sends his son Dascylus with them as a guide.

Aristophanes (1)

Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae 846–1000Episode: the Helen parody and a choral hymnLeft under the guard of the woman Critylla, Mnesilochus decides to act the part of Helen from Euripides' Helen, and Euripides arrives as Menelaus. Critylla sees through the performance and drives Euripides off, and a Policeman has Mnesilochus tied to a plank under the guard of a Scythian archer. The chorus then sing a hymn to the gods of the festival.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.31.1–4.33.12Heracles: servitude, Troy, Elis and SpartaAfter his labours Heracles gives Megara to Iolaüs and asks for Iole, daughter of Eurytus; he is refused, falls ill, and is told by Apollo to be sold as a slave to pay the sons of Iphitus. He then makes war on Laomedon at Troy and gives the kingdom to Priam, fights Augeas and the Eleans, and defeats the sons of Hippocoön at Sparta, restoring Tyndareüs. The section ends with Augê's secret child.

Pausanias (7)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.1.1–9Laconia: the early kings from Lelex to the sons of AristodemusPausanias opens the Laconian book with the early kings, Lelex, Myles, Eurotas and Lacedaemon, who named Sparta after his wife, then Amyclas, whose son Hyacinth is buried at Amyclae, and Oebalus, Tyndareus and the Tyndarid line to Orestes. He recounts the Heraclid return and the death of Aristodemus, whose twin sons Procles and Eurysthenes founded the two royal houses, and Theras’ colony on Thera.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.18.1–9Argos: the road from Mycenae, the tomb of Thyestes and the kings of ArgosOn the road to Argos are a shrine of Perseus, the tomb of Thyestes with its ram, the sanctuary of Mysian Demeter, the river Inachus and an altar of the Sun. Pausanias explains the division of the Argive kingdom among the lines of Anaxagoras, Bias and Melampus, then the rule of Orestes and Tisamenus and the return of the Heraclids, who drove out Tisamenus and the descendants of Nestor.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.17.1–9Sparta: the acropolis, Athena of the Brazen House and the end of PausaniasOn the acropolis stands the sanctuary of Athena of the Brazen House, with bronze reliefs by Gitiadas, followed by the temples of Athena the Worker, Zeus Orderer and Warlike Aphrodite, and Lysander’s eagles and Victories. Pausanias also describes the oldest bronze image, a Zeus by Clearchus of Rhegium, and the two statues of Pausanias. He gives a Byzantine’s account of why the regent could not find protection there: his killing of the girl Cleonice at Byzantium.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.24.1–11Laconian coast: Zarax, Cyphanta, Brasiae, Las and HypsaPausanias describes Zarax, destroyed by Cleonymus, the grotto of Aesculapius at Cyphanta with its spring struck by Atalanta, and Brasiae, whose people say Semele and the infant Dionysus drifted there in a chest. He then describes Las, with its temple of Athena Asia, the fountain Galaco, the river Smenus and the grave of Las. He argues from Homer that Achilles cannot have been a suitor of Helen.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.33.1–8Attica: Brauron, Rhamnus and Phidias’ statue of NemesisAt Brauron Iphigenia is said to have left the image of Artemis. At Rhamnus stands the sanctuary of Nemesis, with Phidias’ statue made from the marble the Persians brought to set up as a trophy. Pausanias digresses on the Ethiopians shown on her bowl and on Ocean, Atlas and the sources of the Nile, notes that Nemesis was originally wingless, and explains the figures on the pedestal, where Leda brings Helen to Nemesis.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.13.1–9Sparta: Carneus, the Dionysiades, and the hill of Argive HeraPausanias notes the tombs of Cynortas, Castor, Idas and Lynceus, a temple of the Saviour Maid and the worship of Domestic Carneus, with explanations of the Dorian worship of Carnean Apollo. He lists the image of Aphetaeus, the colonnaded square, the temple of Dionysus Colonatas with its women’s race, the shrine of Pleuron, the temples of Argive Hera and Protectress Hera on the hill, and the statue of the wrestler Hetoemocles.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.15.1–11Sparta: heroes’ shrines, Hercules and Hippocoon, Enyalius in fetters and MorphoPausanias lists the shrine of Cynisca, the heroes’ shrines behind the colonnade, the tomb of Alcman and the sanctuaries of Helen and Hercules, and tells how Hercules came to punish Hippocoon’s sons after the death of Oeonus. He also describes Athena Serve-them-right, the temple of Hipposthenes, the fettered Enyalius, Hera Goat-eating, and the temple of armed Aphrodite with its upper storey sacred to Morpho, whose fetters he does not take to be a punishment.