Andromache
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
-
For other uses, see Andromache (disambiguation).
In Greek mythology, Andromache (Ανδρομαχη) was the wife of Hector and daughter of Eetion, and sister to Podes. She was born and raised in the city of Cilician Thebes (Thebe under Placus), over which her father ruled. The name means "battle of a man", from ανδρος (andros) "of a man" and μαχη (machē) "battle".[1]
During the Trojan War, Hector was killed by Achilles. Their infant son Astyanax was killed by Achilles' son Neoptolemus. Neoptolemus took her as a concubine and Hector's brother, Helenus, as a slave.
With Hector, Andromache had a son named Astyanax. By Neoptolemus, she was the mother of Molossus. In the play Andromache, she and her child were nearly assassinated by Hermione, Neoptolemus' wife and daughter of Helen.
When Neoptolemus died, Andromache married Helenus, brother of Hector, and became Queen of Epirus.
[edit] Classical treatment
- Homer. Iliad VI, 390–430;
- Apollodorus. Bibliotheke III, xii, 6;
- Apollodorus. Epitome V, 23; VI, 12;
- Euripides. Andromache;
- Virgil. Aeneid III, 294–355.
Andromache is also the subject of a tragedy by French classical playwright Jean Racine (1639–1699), entitled Andromaque.
She is also a minor character in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida.
