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Explore mythology and art with information about the classic stories of heroes and gods...from the myths of ancient Greece and Rome, to the legends of the Celts. Mythography presents resources and reference materials about mythology - including recommended books, and lexicons that explain Greek, Roman, and Celtic terms.

Gardner's Art Through the Ages

This book is the classic reference for the study of art. It features a history of artists and their works, as well as lucid and engaging descriptions of the styles and periods of art history. Highly recommended for both students and scholars.

Aphrodite in Art
Aphrodite in Myth
Art Themes

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Andromache in Greek Mythology

In mythology, the heroine Andromache was the daughter of King Eetion of Thebe. She became the wife of the great Trojan hero Hector, and bore him a son named Astyanax.

Andromache played a small but important role in Homer's Iliad. One of her most memorable appearances in the epic is a poignant scene with her husband Hector. Hector, taking a momentary leave from the bloody battlefield, returns to see his wife and child:

"There his warmhearted lady
came to meet him, running; Andromache,
whose father, Eetion, once had ruled
the land under Mount Plakos, dark with forest,
at Thebe under Plakos - lord and king
of the Kilikians. Hector was her lord now,
head to foot in bronze; and now she joined him.
Behind her came the maid, who held the child
against her breast, a rosy baby still,
Hectorides, the world's delight, as fresh
as a pure shining star. Skamandrios
his father named him; other men would say
Astyanax, 'Lord of the Lower Town,'
as Hector singlehandedly guarded Troy.
How brilliantly the warrior smiled, in silence,
his eyes upon the child! Andromache
rested against him, shook away a tear..."

The touching reunion was to be short lived, however. In the course of the Iliad, Hector is killed, and the Greek victors ransack Troy, taking prisoners and mercilessly dispatching their remaining enemies. Andromache and her son are two of the unfortunate victims, for she is taken captive by Neoptolemus (the son of Achilles), while the baby Astyanax is thrown from the towers of Troy.

Andromache survived the horrors of the Trojan war, and as the concubine of Neoptolemus, she bore the Greek hero three sons - Molossus, Pielus, and Pergamus. After the death of Neoptolemus, Andromache married the Trojan seer Helenus.

Andromache in Art History

Gallery | For pictures and information about Andromache in art, visit the Mythography gallery!

Who's Who in Classical Mythology This book is a great source for information about Greek and Roman mythology! Organized alphabetically, this who's who features information about over 1200 of the most intriguing characters from Classical myth and legend.	Bulfinch's Mythology The stories of Classical myth come to life in Bulfinch's book. This edition also features legends from other cultures.	Mythography Forums Do you have a specific question about Greek, Roman, and Celtic mythology? Then try the Mythography forum!