Prevod

1. Menelaus had by Helen a daughter, Hermione, and, according to some, a son, Nicostratus. By a slave woman, Pieris, an Aetolian by birth—or Tereis, as Acusilaus calls her—he had Megapenthes; and according to Eumelus, he had Xenodamus by a nymph of Cnossus.

2. Of the sons born to Leda, Castor trained in the arts of war, and Polydeuces in boxing; for their courage, both were called the Dioscuri. Wishing to marry the daughters of Leucippus, they carried them off from Messene and made them their wives. Polydeuces and Phoebe had a son, Mnesileos, and Castor and Hilaera had Anogon.

After driving off a herd of cattle from Arcadia with Idas and Lynceus, the sons of Aphareus, they entrusted Idas with dividing the spoils. He cut an ox into four portions and declared that whoever finished eating his portion first would receive half the booty, and whoever finished second would receive the rest. Idas quickly ate his own portion first, then his brother’s as well, and together they drove the cattle away to Messene. The Dioscuri marched against Messene and drove off that herd along with many others. They then lay in ambush for Idas and Lynceus. But Lynceus caught sight of Castor and told Idas, who killed him. Polydeuces pursued them and killed Lynceus with a cast of his spear. As he chased Idas, however, Idas struck him on the head with a stone, and he fell unconscious. Zeus struck Idas with a thunderbolt and took Polydeuces up to heaven. But Polydeuces would not accept immortality while Castor lay dead, so Zeus granted that both should spend alternate days among the gods and among mortals. After the Dioscuri had been raised to the company of the gods, Tyndareus summoned Menelaus to Sparta and handed the kingdom over to him.