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Andromachē, Greek tragedy by Euripides, probably produced c.426 BC, in the early part of the Peloponnesian War.

The play deals with that period in the life of Andromache when she was living as the concubine of Neoptolemus in Thessaly. She had borne him a son, Molossus. After ten years Neoptolemus had married Hermione, daughter of Menelaus; she remained childless and suspected that this was the doing of her hated rival Andromache. Helped by Menelaus, Hermione takes advantage of the absence of Neoptolemus on a journey to Delphi to draw Andromache, by the threat to kill Molossus, from the shrine of Thetis where she had taken refuge, in order to kill both mother and son. They are saved by the intervention of the aged Peleus, the grandfather of Neoptolemus. Orestes, who has contrived the murder of Neoptolemus at Delphi and who arrives unexpectedly, carries off Hermione, to whom he had been betrothed before Neoptolemus had claimed her. The death of Neoptolemus is announced. Thetis appears and arranges matters. The odious character which the poet attributes to (the Spartan) Menelaus has been seen as according with the feeling against Sparta which prevailed at this time at Athens.

 
 
Wikipedia: Andromache (play)
Andromache

Leighton_Captive_Andromache.jpg
Captive Andromache by Frederic Leighton

Written by Euripides
Chorus Phthian Women
Characters Andromache
Maid
Hermione
Menelaus
Molossus
Peleus
Nurse of Hermione
Orestes
Messenger
Thetis

Andromache (c. 425 BC) is a play by Euripides. It follows Andromache during her life as a slave, years after the events of the Trojan War.

Background

During the Trojan War, Andromache's husband Hector was slain by Achilles. Their child Astyanax was dropped off the Trojan walls by the Greeks for fear that he would grow up and avenge his father and city. Andromache was made a slave of Neoptolemus, son of Achilles. These events are depicted in The Trojan Women, another play by Euripides. Years pass and Andromache has a child through Neoptolemus. However, Neoptolemus weds Hermione, daughter of Menalaus and Helen, and Hermione is very jealous of the relationship between Andromache and Neoptolemus. Fearing for her life and the life of her child, Andromache hides the child and seeks refuge in the temple of Thetis, mother of Achilles.

Translations



Euripides_close_up.jpg Plays by Euripides

 
 

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Copyrights:

Classical Literature Companion. The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. Copyright © 1993, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Andromache (play)" Read more

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