Andromache

By Miriam, Simona and Rita

1. Andromache , the wife of Hector, mother of Astyanax and victim of the WAR .

2. Andromache [ Ἀνδρομάχη : “ someone who fights the men” ] , according to a legend she was kidnapped and she was carried to Troy to give a heir to the coming king of Troy, Hector: therfore she was forced to marry him against her will , but over the time she fell in love with him . The couple had a son, called   Astianatte , o Scamandrio (the Scamandro’s river ). According to the other legends , Andromaca with her husband gave birth to othe two sons , Laodamante  and Ossinio .

3. “He, looking to his child , smiled in silence : but Andromaca came up to him crying , and she took his hands , she said kind words , she spoke like this : « Wretched , your bravery will kill you , you don’t have compession of the child so tiny , of me wretched who soon will be a widow .»” Ἤτοι ὃ μὲν μείδησεν ἰδὼν ἐς παῖδα σιωπῇ·Ἤτοι ὃ μὲν μείδησεν ἰδὼν ἐς παῖδα σιωπῇ·Ἀνδρομάχη δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρίστατο δάκρυ χέουσα, ἔν τ᾽ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τ᾽ ἔφατ᾽ ἔκ τ᾽ ὀνόμαζε· « δαιμόνιε φθίσει σε τὸ σὸν μένος, οὐδ᾽ ἐλεαίρεις παῖδά τε νηπίαχον καὶ ἔμ᾽ ἄμμορον, ἣ τάχα χήρη σεῦ ἔσομαι᾽» ”.

4. Andromaca had already known the pain caused bu the war: “ Achille killed my father ”, “ Ἤτοι γὰρ πατέρ᾽ ἁμὸν ἀπέκτανε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς , ” “ They were seven my brothers in the palace : and togher in one day fell in Hades by the the arrows, Achille killed all of them ” glorious rapid feet ”. “ Οἳ δέ μοι ἑπτὰ κασίγνητοι ἔσαν ἐν μεγάροισιν οἳ μὲν πάντες ἰῷ κίον ἤματι Ἄϊδος εἴσω· πάντας γὰρ κατέπεφνε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς .”

5. It was not only Achille who caused her pain but also Artemis , the goddess of hunting , of the wild animal , delle female initiations : “the mother – who reigned under the Placo of the wood – then who here carried her with all of richness , she freed her , accepting the infinitive ransom , but there in the father’s house , Artemis archer hit her .” “ Μητέρα δ᾽, ἣ βασίλευεν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ, τὴν ἐπεὶ ἂρ δεῦρ᾽ ἤγαγ᾽ ἅμ᾽ ἄλλοισι κτεάτεσσιν, ἂψ ὅ γε τὴν ἀπέλυσε λαβὼν ἀπερείσι᾽ ἄποινα, πατρὸς δ᾽ ἐν μεγάροισι βάλ᾽ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα ”

6. “Hector, you for me are father and noble mother and broyher , you are my groom flourishing ; ah, therefore , have mercy and stay here on the tower , you do not make orphan the child and widow the bride.” “ Ἕκτορ ἀτὰρ σύ μοί ἐσσι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ ἠδὲ κασίγνητος, σὺ δέ μοι θαλερὸς παρακοίτης· ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε νῦν ἐλέαιρε καὶ αὐτοῦ μίμν᾽ ἐπὶ πύργῳ, μὴ παῖδ᾽ ὀρφανικὸν θήῃς χήρην τε γυναῖκα· ”

7. Andromache does not respect the prototype of the greek woman of that time: she shows her quits of a strategist and gives advices for the war despite her heart requires her to not leave her lover. “stop the army at the caprifig , there where it is very easy to assault the city, more attainable the wall .” “ λαὸν δὲ στῆσον παρ᾽ ἐρινεόν, ἔνθα μάλιστα ἀμβατός ἐστι πόλις καὶ ἐπίδρομον ἔπλετο τεῖχος. Τρὶς γὰρ τῇ γ᾽ ἐλθόντες ἐπειρήσανθ᾽ οἱ ἄριστοι ἀμφ᾽ Αἴαντε δύω καὶ ἀγακλυτὸν Ἰδομενῆα ἠδ᾽ ἀμφ᾽ Ἀτρεΐδας καὶ Τυδέος ἄλκιμον υἱόν· ”

8. When Troy was razed , the Achean divided te women of the royale house : Andromache became such a slave of the king of Epirus who made her his concubine. By this union will born three children . Andromaca never do not forget the love which feel for Hector, and this caused in her husbands a big jealusy .