Philostratus, Heroicus 29
“[He claims] that Menelaos fought after most of the Greeks did, used his brother to do everything, even though he received eagerness and good treatment from Agamemnon he was still envious of him especially of the things he was doing for them. See, he wanted to rule himself, but wasn’t worthy of it.
So, his story is that Menelaos would have permitted Orestes to be stoned by the the Argives when he was in danger in Argos, even though he was famous in Athens and throughout Greece after he avenged his father’s murder. But Orestes attacked them with his Phocian allies and forced them to retreat. He regained his father’s power even though Menelaos was unwilling to help.
He adds that Menelaos wore a somewhat childish long hairstyle which, since it was the Spartan style at the time, the Achaeans overlooked in him. (They also resisted mocked the people from Euboia whose hair was extremely ridiculous). By this account, Menealos was the most natural speaker of all and his words were extremely concise but mixed thoroughly with charm.”
τὸν δὲ Μενέλεων μάχεσθαι μὲν μετὰ πολλοὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ἀποχρῆσθαι δὲ τῷ ἀδελφῷ πάντα, καὶ τυγχάνοντα προθύμου τε καὶ εὔνου τοῦ Ἀγαμέμνονος ὅμως βασκαίνειν αὐτῷ καὶ ὧν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἔπραττεν, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἄρχειν μὲν αὐτὸς ἐθέλειν, μὴ ἀξιοῦσθαι δέ. 4τὸν γοῦν Ὀρέστην, Ἀθήνησι μὲν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησιν εὐδοκιμοῦντα, ἐπειδὴ τῷ πατρὶ ἐτιμώρησεν, ἐν δὲ τῷ Ἄργει κινδυνεύοντα, βληθέντα ἂν περιεῖδεν ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀργείων, εἰ μὴ Ὀρέστης ἐμπεσὼν τούτοις μετὰ ξυμμάχων Φωκέων, τοὺς μὲν ἐτρέψατο, τὴν δὲ ἀρχὴν τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ ἄκοντος τοῦ Μενέλεω κατεκτήσατο.
κομᾶν τὸν Μενέλεων μειρακιωδῶς φησιν, ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡ Σπάρτη ἐκόμα, ξυγγινώσκειν αὐτῷ τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς ἐπιχωριάζοντι. (οὐδὲ γὰρ τοὺς ἀπ’ Εὐβοίας ἥκοντας ἐτώθαζον, καίτοι γελοίως κομῶντας.) 6διαλεχθῆναι δὲ αὐτὸν ῥᾷστα ἀνθρώπων φησὶ καὶ βραχυλογώτατα, ξυγκεραννύοντα ἡδονὴν τῷ λόγῳ.
