The person01–03
01·Who they are
Who is Andromache?
Andromache is introduced in Book VI as "daughter of great Eetion who ruled in Thebe under the wooded slopes of Mt. Placus." She is the wife of Hector and the mother of the infant Astyanax (whom Hector named Scamandrius). By the time she meets Hector at the Scaean gates, she has already lost all her other family connections: Achilles killed her father and seven brothers in a single day and later abducted her mother, who subsequently died. This tragic background makes her grief not only personal but also a reflection of the war’s toll on those not in combat.
02·Arc & motivation
What is Andromache's arc and motivation?
Andromache's primary aim is survival — not just for herself, but for her family as well. In Book VI, she urges Hector to remain on the wall and even points out a tactical weakness in their defenses, showing that her plea is rooted in reason, not just emotion. Her fears are vivid: she envisions widowhood, captivity, and being forced into servitude in Argos. By Book XXIV, some of these fears begin to materialize. She leads the women in mourning, and her sorrow deepens knowing that Hector died without reaching out to her or leaving any final words.
03·Key moments
What are Andromache's key moments?
Book VI — The Scaean gates: Andromache rushes to meet Hector, with the nurse carrying Astyanax by her side. She takes his hand and delivers a speech that conveys her complete dependence on him ("you who to me are father, mother, brother, and dear husband") while also presenting a military rationale for staying within the walls. Hector acknowledges her pain but insists he cannot face the Trojans if he backs down from battle like a coward. The scene ends with his vision of her future captivity and his desire to die before hearing her cries as she is taken into bondage.
Book VIII — Hector's address to his horses: Hector mentions Andromache by name for feeding and watering his horses, noting she did this "before doing so even for me who am her own husband." This small detail underscores her commitment to the household and her role in the war effort.
Book XVII — Zeus's prophecy: When Zeus observes Hector donning Achilles' immortal armor, he declares that Hector will not return from battle to present the armor of the son of Peleus to Andromache. Her name here marks the domestic boundary Hector will never cross again, turning her into a symbol of his fate.
Book XXIV — The lament: As one of the first to mourn, Andromache clasps Hector's head and leads the lament among the women. Her grief centers on her child — she fears he won't grow to manhood, that he will be thrown from the walls or enslaved — and on her own unspoken farewell: Hector "did not stretch forth your arms and embrace me as you lay dying, nor say to me any words that might have lived with me in my tears night and day for evermore."
The cast04–05
04·Relationships
What are Andromache's most important relationships?
Andromache's bond with Hector serves as the emotional heart of her character. She is not merely a grieving wife but his last human anchor; he confesses in Book VI that he worries about her captivity more than any other loss, including that of his parents and brothers. Her relationship with Achilles is solely marked by loss: he killed her father and brothers, yet the poem notes he did not desecrate her father's body "for very shame" and burned him in his armor — a detail that complicates simple animosity. Her appearance with Priam in Book XXIV positions her within the collective Trojan mourning, although her lament stands out as the most prominent.
05·Connected characters
How is Andromache connected to the other characters?
The evidence06
06·Key quotes
What are Andromache’s key quotes?
“Nay—Hector—you who to me are father, mother, brother, and dear husband—have mercy upon me; stay here upon this wall; make not your child fatherless, and your wife a widow”
Andromache · to Hector · Book VI
Why it matters
Andromache stands at the Scaean gates in Book VI, desperately urging Hector not to return to battle. When she refers to him as her father, mother, brother, and husband all at once, it highlights how completely her life centers on him. With her father and brothers already lost to Achilles, Hector is her only remaining family. This scene is one of the most emotionally intense in the poem, particularly since it's clear to the reader that Hector won't be able to honor her plea. His deep sense of honor and duty as Troy's main defender compels him to fight.
Study07–08
07·Questions
Questions readers ask about Andromache
What has Andromache already lost before the main action of Book VI?
She has lost her father Eetion, who was killed by Achilles during the sack of Thebe, along with all seven of her brothers, who also fell to Achilles that same day. Her mother was captured and later died. She tells Hector that he is now "father, mother, brother, and dear husband" to her.
What does Andromache ask Hector to do at the Scaean gates?
She asks him to hold his position on the wall instead of engaging in open combat, pointing out a tactical spot by the fig tree where the wall is weakest and has already faced three assaults. Her request merges her personal urgency with sound military strategy.
How does Hector respond to Andromache's plea?
He recognizes the pain she’s enduring and confesses that he knows Troy will eventually fall. However, he feels he cannot avoid battle without losing his honor in front of the Trojans. He shares that his deepest sorrow is the idea of her being captured and enslaved, and he would rather die than hear her cries as she’s taken away into bondage.
What role does Andromache play in Book XXIV?
Andromache stands out among the women, leading their wailing as she holds Hector's head tightly in her arms. Her sorrow reflects the fate of their young child, her dread that the city will be destroyed, and her heartbreak that Hector didn't reach out to her as he lay dying, nor say anything that could have stayed with her through her tears.
Why does Zeus mention Andromache in Book XVII?
When Zeus sees Hector donning Achilles' immortal armor, he proclaims that Hector won't come back from battle to present that armor to Andromache. Her name symbolizes the domestic boundary Hector will never cross, turning her into a poignant reminder of his impending death.
What does the detail about Andromache feeding Hector's horses reveal about her character?
In Book VIII, Hector observes that Andromache took the time to feed his horses honey-sweet corn and prepared a mix of wine and water for them before she did the same for him. This detail highlights her dedicated and thoughtful concern for everything related to Hector’s safety in battle.
08·Essay angles
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Tool · Essay angles