Hecuba in the Ancient Sources: 58 Passages in Greek & English

Homer (5)

Homer, Iliad 24.159–321Iris to Priam; the ransom is packedIris goes to Priam, who sits covered in dung among his sons, and tells him to take gifts to Achilles with only a herald, since Hermes will guide him. Hecuba cries out in fear, but Priam will go, even if he must die in Achilles' arms. He drives out the men who crowd round to mourn him, has a wagon loaded with the ransom, and, at Hecuba's urging, prays to Zeus, who sends an eagle on the right as a sign.
Homer, Iliad 6.237–368Hector in Troy: Hecuba, Athena's temple, Paris and HelenHector reaches the Scaean gates, where the Trojan women ask for their sons and husbands, and goes on to Priam's house, where Hecuba offers him wine. He tells her to gather the older women and lay the finest robe on the knees of Athena, and Theano the priestess prays for Diomedes' fall, but Athena denies the prayer. Hector then goes to Paris, rebukes him, and refuses Helen's offer to sit, since he wants to see his own household.
Homer, Iliad 22.376–515Achilles drags Hector's body; the lament in TroyThe Achaeans gather round and wound the body, and Achilles pierces the tendons of the feet, threads thongs through them and ties the body to his chariot. He drives off, dragging Hector's head in the dust, while Priam and Hecuba cry out from the wall. Andromache, who has been weaving, hears the lament, runs to the wall and faints at the sight, and then mourns for Hector and for her fatherless son.
Homer, Iliad 24.677–804Hermes wakes Priam; Hector's funeralIn the night Hermes wakes Priam and warns him to leave before the Achaeans find him, and guides the wagon back across the river. Cassandra, from the citadel, is first to see them and cries to the city to come out and see Hector. The body is laid on a bed in the hall and Andromache, Hecuba and Helen each take up the lament. After nine days of gathering wood Hector is burned, the bones are put in a golden chest and a mound is raised, and the poem ends with a feast in Priam's house.
Homer, Iliad 22.1–102Priam and Hecuba plead with HectorThe Trojans cool themselves within the walls like fawns while the Achaeans come up to the wall, and Hector alone stays outside the Scaean gates. Apollo reveals himself to Achilles and tells him that he is chasing a god in vain. Priam sees Achilles racing across the plain like a star of ill omen and begs Hector from the wall to come in, and Hecuba bares her breast and entreats him, but he stays.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.12.1–7Dardanus, Priam and the royal house of TroyElectra's son Dardanus founds the line of the Trojan kings through Erichthonius and Tros, to Ganymede, Anchises and Ilus. Ilus founds Ilium on the spot where the cow lies down and receives the Palladium, and Laomedon and Priam follow him, with Tithonus and Memnon among Laomedon's line. The section lists Priam's children, including Hecuba's dream before Paris's birth, Cassandra's gift, and Paris and Oenone, and ends with the sons of Aeacus, Peleus and Telamon, the murder of Phocus and the birth of Ajax and Teucer.

Euripides (46)

Euripides, Hecuba 389–443First episode: Polyxena's farewell to HecubaOdysseus says that it is not Hecuba but Polyxena whom the ghost of Achilles demands, and Hecuba says that she will not let her daughter go, and clings to her. Polyxena begs her not to fight with their masters, and bids her mother farewell, asking to be veiled; Odysseus takes her away, and Hecuba falls to the ground, blaming Helen.
Euripides, Hecuba 749–785Third episode: Hecuba asks Agamemnon to avenge her sonHecuba says that she cannot avenge her children without Agamemnon's help, and implores him by his knees and his beard to be her ally. Agamemnon at first thinks that she wishes to be set free, and Hecuba says that it is not that. She tells him that the corpse is her son Polydorus, sent with gold to Polymestor, who killed him when Troy fell, and that a maid found the body on the shore.
Euripides, Hecuba 986–1022Fourth episode: Hecuba lures Polymestor into the tentHecuba asks Polymestor about her son Polydorus, and he says that the boy is alive and well, and that she still has a share of fortune. She tells him that there is gold left from Troy hidden for the boy, and asks him to come into the tent, where there are no Achaeans, since the Argives are about to sail; he goes in with his children.
Euripides, Trojan Women 230–293First episode: Talthybius announces the allotment of the captivesTalthybius, the Greek herald, tells Hecuba that he has been sent with a message, and she asks to whom each of them has been given. He answers that Cassandra has been chosen for Agamemnon, Polyxena has been told to serve at Achilles' tomb, Andromache has been given to Achilles' son, and Hecuba to Odysseus, and Hecuba cries out against her fate.
Euripides, Trojan Women 568–602bSecond episode: Andromache arrives with AstyanaxThe Chorus sees Andromache coming on a foreign chariot, with her child, Astyanax, Hector's son, at her breast, and the weapons of Troy piled beside her. Andromache says that her Achaean masters are leading her away, and tells Hecuba of the destruction of Troy and of the dead who lie by the shrine of Pallas for vultures to carry off.
Euripides, Trojan Women 1287–1332Exodos: the Trojan women are led away to the Greek shipsHecuba, crying out to Zeus, is told by Talthybius that her sorrows have driven her frantic, and that she must be led away to deliver to Odysseus. The Chorus sings that, like smoke, their city sinks to the ground, and Hecuba falls on the earth to beat it with her hands, and they go together to the Achaean ships.
Euripides, Hecuba 1240–1295Exodos: Agamemnon's verdict and Polymestor's prophecyAgamemnon says that it goes against his grain to judge, but that Polymestor must bear what he has brought on himself, since he murdered a guest for gold. Polymestor, taunting them, says that Dionysus has told him that Hecuba will climb the ship's mast and be changed into a dog, that Cassandra must die, and that a murderous bath awaits Agamemnon in Argos. Agamemnon orders him to be cast away on a desert island, and the Chorus leaves for the ships.
Euripides, Hecuba 678–720Third episode: Hecuba finds the body of PolydorusThe maid-servant tells Hecuba to look at the corpse, which was washed ashore, and Hecuba sees that it is Polydorus, her son, whom the Thracian had been keeping safe. She cries out that this is the end of all, and says that she now understands the vision of her dream. She guesses that Polymestor killed him for the gold and cries out against the breach of the law between guest and host, and the Chorus says that some god weighs heavily on her.
Euripides, Trojan Women 153–229Parodos: the captive Trojan women come out of the tentsThe Chorus of captive Trojan women comes out of the tents, asking Hecuba why she cries, and fearing what they will hear, whether the Argives have decided to kill them or to carry them off in the ships. Hecuba begs them not to bid Cassandra, the frantic prophetess, come out, and, asking whose slave she will become in her old age, mourns for her dead children and the dancing of Troy.
Euripides, Hecuba 154–217First episode: Hecuba tells Polyxena that she is to dieHecuba laments the sorrows of her old age and calls her daughter Polyxena out of the tent. Polyxena asks why her mother is crying so loudly, and Hecuba tells her that the Greeks have decided on her death. Polyxena says that, for all that, she would rather die than live as a slave, and the Chorus sees Odysseus coming.
Euripides, Hecuba 218–250First episode: Odysseus announces the sacrifice of PolyxenaOdysseus says that the army has voted to sacrifice Polyxena on the tomb of Achilles, and that the lot has made him messenger. He tells Hecuba to yield, since it is wise even in misfortune to give way. Hecuba reminds him that he once came to Troy as a spy and was spared by her, and asks whether she is to be thanked in this way.
Euripides, Trojan Women 603–633Second episode: Hecuba and Andromache on death and hopeHecuba cries out for her children and her city, saying that the dead alone forget their griefs, and the Chorus says that to sufferers it is a sweet relief to weep. Andromache says that Polyxena is happier than the living, since she is spared the knowledge of her woes, and Hecuba answers that death and life are not the same, since the one is annihilation and the other has hope.

34 more passages of Euripides that name Hecuba

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 13.481–575Hecuba and PolymestorThe Trojan women take up Polyxena's body and weep for all the sons of Priam, and Hecuba, who has lost nearly all her children, finds on the shore the body of her son Polydorus. She pretends to Polymestor that she has more treasure to give him, and draws him and his sons aside. With the help of the Trojan women she blinds him and kills his sons, and when she is stoned by the Thracians she turns into a dog, and her barking fills the land. Her fate moves even Hera (Juno).
Ovid, Metamorphoses 13.382–438The arms awarded; the death of Ajax; the fall of TroyThe chiefs award the armour to Odysseus (Ulysses), and Ajax, in a rage that he has been robbed, kills himself with the sword that Hector had given him. From his blood a purple flower rises, marked with the letters of his name. Odysseus fetches Philoctetes from Lemnos, and Troy falls, and the Trojan women are shared among the Greeks, among them Hecuba, who is given to Odysseus. The Thracian king Polymestor, to whom Priam had sent his youngest son Polydorus with gold, kills the boy and throws his body into the sea.

Quintus Smyrnaeus (4)

Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 14.228–328Polyxeina is sacrificedAt dawn Neoptolemus tells the Argives his father's command that Polyxeina be sacrificed at his tomb. A storm rises when they hesitate, and they lead the maiden to the tomb. Hecuba, who has dreamed of it, wails, and Neoptolemus cuts the girl's throat.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 14.1–120The spoil of TroyThe Argives plunder Troy. Menelaus leads Helen from the burning city, and Cassandra falls to Agamemnon, Andromache to Neoptolemus and Hecuba to Odysseus. Xanthus mourns with his Nymphs, and the Argives sacrifice and feast at the ships.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 10.332–410The death of ParisAs Paris limps down Ida, Hera watches from Olympus with the Seasons. Paris dies on Ida and the Nymphs wail for him. A herdsman tells Hecuba, who laments, and the Trojan women mourn him in name only.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 14.329–418The fleet sails from TroyNestor tells the Argives that the time to go home has come, and they prepare the ships. Hecuba is turned into a hound and then into stone, and the ships are loaded with spoil and captives. The fleet passes Tenedos, Lesbos and Ida's last headland, while the surviving Trojans burn their dead.

Hecuba in the ancient sources

Homer (5)

Apollodorus (1)

Euripides (46)

Ovid (2)

Quintus Smyrnaeus (4)