o the
wall, like unto one frenzied, and the nurse, along with her, bears the
child."

Thus spoke the housewife, but Hector hastened away from the palace, back
the same way through the well-built streets. When he had arrived at the
Scaean gates, after passing through the great city (for by this way he
was about to pass out into the plain), there met him his richly-dowered
spouse running, Andromache, daughter of magnanimous Eetion: Eetion, who
dwelt in woody Hypoplacus, in Hypoplacian Thebes, reigning over Cilician
men. His daughter then was possessed by brazen-helmed Hector. She then
met him; and with her came a maid, carrying in her bosom the tender
child, an infant quite, the only son of Hector, like unto a beauteous
star. Him Hector had named Scamandrius, but others Astyanax; for Hector
alone protected Ilium. He indeed, gazing in silence upon his son,
smiled. But Andromache stood near to him, weeping, and she hung upon his
hand, and addressed him, and spoke:

"Strange man! this thy valour will destroy thee; nor dost thou pity thy
infant child and unhappy me, who very soon will be bereft of thee, for
presently the Greeks will slay thee, all attacking thee at once. For me
much better it were to sink into the earth, when bereft of thee; for
there will no longer be any other comfort for me when thou shalt draw on
thy destruction; but sorrows only. Nor have I father or venerable
mother. For divine Achilles slew my father, and laid waste the
well-inhabited city of the Cilicians, lofty-gated Thebes. He slew
Eetion, but spoiled him not, he scrupled in his mind [to do] that; but
he burned him together with his well-wrought arms, and heaped a tomb
over him, and around [him] the mountain nymphs, daughters of
aegis-bearing Jove, planted elms. Moreover, the seven brothers besides,
whom I had at home, all these indeed departed to Hades in one day. For
divine, swift-footed Achilles slew them all, amidst their crooked hoofed
oxen and their snowy sheep. And my mother, who ruled in woody
Hypoplacus, after that he had led her hither with other treasures, he
sent back at liberty, having received countless ransom-gifts. But her
the shaft-rejoicing Diana slew in my father's hall. But, O Hector, to me
thou art both father and venerable mother and brother; thou art also my
blooming consort. But come now, pity me, and abide here in the tower,
nor make thy child an orphan and thy wife a widow. And place a company
at the wild fig-tree, where