Menelaus is a character of the Trojan War Saga. Specifically he is the husband of Helen of Troy, the poetic cause of the war. Homer describes him as blond with wide shoulders, a pretty boy suitable as a spouse of the most beautiful mortal woman in literature.

In various social media posts about ancient Greek mythology, whenever his name is mentioned, many argue that the renaissance artistic depictions of him are not representative because they do not show him as the pretty boy he is, emphasizing on his blond hair.

One specific guy is always upset though that we, the rest, call Menelaus blond. Not just upset, furious. The reason, one of the stories about his origins wants him to be a descendant of a Lydian King and another ancient Greek mythology persona, named Tantalus.

Some, try to explain to this guy that people are allowed to be blond wherever for a plethora of reasons, immigration e.g. as well as that Menelaus is a fictional person, so the author can describe him as he wishes. Blond, red, blue, alien.

No! Menelaus could never be blond and you better stop saying it because…and now we reach the “because”. The guy is a citizen of a country that its modern borders include parts of the Anatolia. He also belongs to this group of silly individuals that are possessed by the “village syndrome”.

The “village syndrome” says that when more culturally or financially advanced people visit a village, the inhabitants have the need to hear them admit how wonderful and far superior than any city, their village is. Thus, how superior they are. If others won’t comply, they will be furious and boil inside for this lack of acknowledgement.

In analogy, this guy has the need for the rest of us to “put in our western minds for good” that a globally known mythological figure is loosely originating for the same area as he is born. Ergo his modern country is greater than ours and he is better than us.

But that is not enough. If Menelaus is blond and he is nothing remotely close to light brown even, his inferiority complex is receiving a lethal blow. So instead of enjoying a fabulous tale of drama, love, action and futility, he has dedicated his life to make Menelaus brunet.

Since the best way to approach a simple uneducated mind is a quote, I believe the most appropriate one is this: “It is more probable for one to descent form a prostitute than from a king”.

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