#and the fact that they're directed towards antilochus. aches my chest.

[menelaiad]

What do you think of the Antilochus-Menelaus friendship ? I so wish she was explored more, middle aged and his widdle bby friend 🥺

was it not me that didn't shut up about this dynamic like ..... almost 2 years ago??? i think it was.

no, but for real. when you read the iliad this dynamic can certainly fly under your radar. menelaus as a whole can get fucking lost in that book lmfao. but if you read it with hyper-menelaus-vision like i do everything in my life - it's shocking how prevelant that dynamic actually is.

menelaus doesn't interact with a lot of people in the iliad. there's aga, ajax, achilles (well, achilles calls him a dogface and menelaus doesnt really respond but yknow). now, him talking to aga makes sense. ajax is addressed when menelaus needs help on the battlefield (to save odysseus and to defend patroclus) he's the muscle menelaus needs in those moments.

but he talks to and works/fights with antilochus. the most. (outside of aga but their dynamic is ofc gonna be different) antilochus isn't. a big deal. really. he's not one of the leaders. one of the OG big guys. but he's with menelaus in maybe like 30 - 50% of his scenes in the iliad? and for a guy that doesn't appear in the iliad a lot to begin with. that's a lot.

with a oral poem like the iliad there will be a lot of repetition for events, even if the characters change. but i'm sure there's an event that's repeated twice - menelaus calling for ajax's help and then summoning antilochus. again. the ajax thing is explainable - he's a main player. he's also beefy as shit. he can help menelaus YET menelaus summons antilochus as well. why him? using ajax twice for defence makes sense. but summoning antilochus both times (instead of changing to another sidecharacter greek) is purposeful. he CHOOSES him. menelaus clearly forms this attachment to antilochus after book 5 when the lad comes to his rescue.

it's also sweet how in the book 5 moment, there is a mirror between hera's concern for menelaus and antilochus'. hera having this maternal angle to her as well implies that this concern is FIERCE. it's protective. and antilochus feels the same.

i also think it's sweet that antilochus is like menelaus' lil right hand man UNTIL patroclus dies. and then menelaus almost. gives antilochus back to achilles. antilochus and menelaus fight side by side until patroclus dies and then antilochus becomes achilles' right hand man. like. menelaus gives him back. knows how good of a companion this boy is. sees achilles' grief and like .... offers antilochus as a balm to help. patroclus' death is menelaus' fault. and menelaus certainly sees it that way. and to help achilles combat this newfound lonliness he offers up .... his only friend in the whole iliad.

LIKE in the funeral games. menelaus is mad that antilochus has broken his trust and their friendship. it was never really about the prize for menelaus (he fucking gives it to antilochus anyway???? like????) he's so upset because antilochus 'played dirty' and breached his trust. THAT'S why menelaus kicks off. and yet he doesn't stay mad for long. he almost cant??? he and antilochus have been through a lot in the short span of time that the iliad takes place. and i've said it before. menelaus is not a proud man, compared to most in greek myth. he will back down. he will admit defeat. and he does it here too. ofc he does?? this is his friend!!! but not before he gets emotional and upset about being betrayed because menelaus just FEELS so much. he is such an emotional and attached character.

EVEN IF IT'S NOT THAT menelaus' anger could be from CONCERN. antilochus has stayed alive for so long and boy is now gonna die cause he cant drive?! menelaus WILL NOT have that. it could be panic or fear. either way. i dont think his outburst comes from a place of malice or 'sore loser' at all.

and like do you gotta make me say it???? antilochus forces menelaus to face his guilt. he LITERALLY SAYS:

NO OTHER ACHAEAN COULD HAVE BROUGHT ME ROUND SO SOON. YOU HAVE SUFFERED MUCH AND LABORED LONG ... ALL FOR MY SAKE.

menelaus yields, yes because antilochus is his friend but antilochus is also SO FREAKIN YOUNG. he's probably spent half of his life (or damn close to it) at troy. for menelaus. and menelaus is not blind to that. antilochus embodies all the young men that came to troy for him that have died for him or at the very least have fought and suffered. menelaus' love and care for antilochus is almost symbolic of his love and care for all these lads who came to troy. antilochus represents the army that menelaus carries on his back and cares about so much. and i think the paternal angle to their relationship almost highlights that. menelaus is compared to a mother directly and his relationship with antilochus emphasises this. and that's why their dynamic so so sweet and important to me. their story begins with antilochus coming to his aid and ends with menelaus thanking him for all he's done. menelaus is not blind to the help of this boy or to the army as a whole.

to conclude: