Discourses · Character

Menelaus

Spartan king, used in Homeric examples of honor and war.

minor

First appearance: i of the things which are in our power and not in our power

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With Socrates (friendship): Menelaus is a student or follower of Socrates, engaging in dialectical exchanges that reflect Socratic mentorship. With Zeus (psychological): Menelaus appeals to Zeus as a moral arbiter, reflecting a traditional Greek religious dependence. With Epicurus (rivalry): Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing philosophical schools, with Epicurus critiquing Stoic and Socratic ethics.

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See Menelaus in i of the things which are in our power and not in our power

Character Web

30 connections

A slice of how Menelaus sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Psychological
Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Philosophers and rulers
Mythological exemplars
Philosophical opponents and tragic figures
Stoics under tyranny

+25 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This passage is the dramatic climax because it delivers the emotional and psychological peak of Epictetus’s ar…

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Relationships

Socrates
friendship · positive
Zeus
psychological · ambivalent
Epicurus
rivalry · negative
Socrates
friendship · positive
Epicurus
rivalry · negative
Zeus
psychological · ambivalent
Epicurus
rivalry · negative

Socrates
Menelaus is a student or follower of Socrates, engaging in dialectical exchanges that reflect Socratic mentorship.
Zeus
Menelaus appeals to Zeus as a moral arbiter, reflecting a traditional Greek religious dependence.
Epicurus
Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing philosophical schools, with Epicurus critiquing Stoic and Socratic ethics.
Socrates
Menelaus is a student or follower of Socrates, engaging in dialectical exchanges that reflect Socratic mentorship.
Epicurus
Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing philosophical schools, with Epicurus critiquing Stoic and Socratic ethics.
Zeus
Menelaus appeals to Zeus as a moral arbiter, reflecting a traditional Greek religious dependence.
Epicurus
Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing philosophical schools, with Epicurus critiquing Stoic and Socratic ethics.

Relationship notes

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See Menelaus in i of the things which are in our power and not in our power

In the story

Menelaus appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Menelaus unlock in the free preview.

See Menelaus in i of the things which are in our power and not in our power