THE PARTING OF HECTOR AND

ANDROMACHE.

One of the most famous passages in Homer's "Iliad" is that in the Sixth Book, wherein the poet describes the parting between Hector and his wife Andromache. The Greeks had long been besieging the city of Troy, and a 5 great battle was now in progress outside of the gates.

10

Hector, the noblest of the Trojan heroes, had made ready to go out to the help of his people, but first he would bid his wife and child good-by, "for," said he, “I know not if I shall return home to them again."

Hector straight

Through the wide streets his rapid steps retraced.
But when at last the mighty city's length

Was traversed, and the Scaæan gates were reached,
Whence was the outlet to the plain, in haste
15 Running to meet him came his priceless wife,
Eëtion's daughter, fair Andromache-

Eëtion, who from Thebes Cicilia swayed,
Thebes at the foot of Placos' wooded heights.
His child to Hector of the brazen helm
20 Was giv'n in marriage: she it was who now
Met him, and by her side the nurse, who bore
Clasped to her breast his all unconscious child,
Hector's loved infant, fair as morning star;
Whom Hector called Scamandrius; but the rest
25 Astyanax, in honor of his sire,

The matchless chief, the only prop of Troy.

Silent he smiled as on his boy he gazed:

But at his side Andromache, in tears,

Hung on his arm, and thus the chief addressed:

“Dear Lord, thy dauntless spirit will work thy doom:

Nor hast thou pity on this thy helpless child,

5

Or me forlorn, to be thy widow soon:

For thee will all the Greeks with force combined
Assail and slay: for me 'twere better far,
Of thee bereft, to lie beneath the sod;

Nor comfort shall be mine, if thou be lost,

10

But endless grief. To me nor sire is left,
Nor honored mother. .

But Hector, thou to me art all in one,

Sire, mother, brethren thou, my wedded love!
Then pitying us, within the tower remain,

15

Nor make thy child an orphan, and thy wife

A hapless widow; by the fig tree here

Array thy troops; for here the city wall,

Easiest of access, most invites assault.

Thrice have their boldest chiefs this point assailed,

20

Or by the prompting of some Heav'n-taught seer,

Or by their own advent'rous courage led."
To whom great Hector of the glancing helm :

"Think not, dear wife, that by such thoughts as these
My heart has ne'er been wrung; but I should blush
To face the men and long-robed dames of Troy,
If, like a coward, I could shun the fight.

Nor could my soul the lessons of my youth
So far forget, whose boast it still has been

In the fore-front of battle to be found,

Charged with my father's glory and my own.
Yet in my inmost soul too well I know,

The day must come when this our sacred Troy,
And Priam's race, and Priam's royal self,

5 Shall in one common ruin be o'erthrown.
But not the thoughts of Troy's impending fate,
Nor Hecuba's nor royal Priam's woes,
Nor loss of brethren, numerous and brave,
By hostile hands laid prostrate in the dust,
10 So deeply wring my heart as thoughts of thee,
Thy days of freedom lost, and led away

A weeping captive by some brass-clad Greek;
Haply in Argos, at a mistress' beck,

Condemned to ply the loom, or water draw,

15 Heart-wrung, by stern necessity constrained.

Then they who see thy tears perchance may say,

6

Lo! this was Hector's wife, who, when they fought

On plains of Troy, was Ilion's bravest chief.'

Thus may they speak; and thus thy grief renew
20 For loss of him, who might have been thy shield
To rescue thee from slav'ry's bitter hour.
Oh, may I sleep in dust, ere be condemned
To hear thy cries, and see thee dragged away!"

Thus as he spoke, great Hector stretched his arms 25 To take his child; but back the infant shrank, Crying, and sought his nurse's shelt'ring breast, Scared by the brazen helm and horse-hair plume, That nodded, fearful, on the warrior's crest. Laughed the fond parents both, and from his brow