Hecuba

Nationality/Culture

Greek/Roman

Pronunciation

HEK-yoo-buh

Alternate Names

Hekabe

Appears In

Homer's Iliad, Ovid's Metamorphoses, other tales of the Trojan War

Lineage

Daughter of Dymas and Eunoe

Character Overview

In Greek mythology , Hecuba was the second wife of Priam, king of the city of Troy. She bore Priam many children, including Hector , Paris, Polydorus (pronounced pol-ee-DOR-uhs), and Cassandra . As queen of Troy, she is an important character in the tales of the Trojan War.

While pregnant with Paris, Hecuba had a dream in which she gave birth to a fiery torch that was covered with snakes. This was considered a sign from the gods; the prophets of Troy, who were believed to be able to see the future, told her that if her child lived, he would be responsible for the fall of Troy. When Paris was born, Hecuba ordered two servants to kill the child. Unable to perform such a terrible act, the servants left Paris on a mountain to die, and he was found and raised by a shepherd.

Years later, Paris returned to Troy, and as predicted, he caused the city's destruction. He began the Trojan War by taking away Helen , wife of King Menelaus (pronounced men-uh-LAY-uhs) of Sparta. All the rulers of Greece had sworn to defend Helen. To rescue her, they declared war on Troy, sacking and burning it after a long and persistent attack.

Hecuba became a slave to the Greek hero Odysseus (pronounced oh-DIS-ee-uhs). On his way back to Greece, Odysseus journeyed through Thrace, which was ruled by King Polymestor (pronounced pol-ee-MES-tor). Before the war, Hecuba had asked Polymestor to protect her son Polydorus. However, upon reaching Thrace, she found that the king had killed the boy. The enraged Hecuba tore out Polymestor's eyes and murdered both of his sons. As Odysseus was trying to control her, she turned into a dog. Her tomb was placed on a rocky outcrop located on a narrow strip of water called the Hellespont (pronounced HEL-uh-spont) between Greece and Turkey.

Hecuba in Context

In ancient times of war, it was common for members of the losing side— particularly family members of the leaders—to be taken as slaves by the victorious soldiers. In tales of the Trojan War, the surviving women of Trojan royalty, Cassandra and Hecuba, are taken as slaves by Agamemnon and Odysseus, respectively. This was done as a way to gain slave labor, but, more importantly, it served as a final humiliation to the fallen men of Troy to have their women become the property of their Greek captors.

Key Themes and Symbols

Hecuba's dream of a torch covered in snakes is a symbol of death and doom, and foreshadows the fall of Troy. An important theme in the tale of Hecuba is destiny, or the idea that future events have already been determined by the gods. Although Hecuba tries to have Paris destroyed before he can bring about the destruction of Troy, she fails because this is Paris's destiny. Despite her attempt to have her own son killed, Hecuba also represents the fierceness with which a mother can avenge her child's death, as she does in Thrace. This ferocity is illustrated by her transformation into a dog.

Hecuba in Art, Literature, and Everyday Life

Hecuba is found in the Ilmd and the Aeneid. She also appears in the plays Hecuba and The Trojan Women by Euripides and is mentioned in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Her transformation into a dog is described in Dante's Inferno.

Read, Write, Think, Discuss

Throughout history, the victorious side in a war traditionally has been able to take anything of value from the losing side, including land, treasures, or people. Although slaves are no longer considered appropriate spoils of war, many other treasures are often taken from countries in the wake of their defeat. Do you think a country (or group of countries) that wins a war against another country automatically has rights to claim property or land from their defeated foes? What about historical artifacts? Should victorious troops be allowed to take items from citizens of a defeated country who did not participate in battle?

SEE ALSO Aeneid, The; Cassandra; Greek Mythology; Hector; Helen of Troy; Iliad, The; Odysseus; Odyssey, The

Hecuba

In Greek mythology, Hecuba was the second wife of Priam, king of the city of Troy*. She bore Priam many children, including Hector*, Paris*, Polydorus, and Cassandra*.

prophet one who claims to have received divine messages or insights omen sign of future events

While pregnant with Paris, Hecuba had a dream in which she gave birth to a fiery torch that was covered with snakes. The prophets of Troy told her that this was a bad omen and predicted that if the child lived, he would be responsible for the fall of Troy. Therefore, upon Paris's birth, Hecuba ordered two servants to kill the child. Unable to perform such a terrible act, the servants left Paris on a mountain to die, and he was found and raised by a shepherd.

Years later, Paris returned to Troy, and as predicted, he caused the city's destruction. He began the Trojan Warf by taking away Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. All the rulers of Greece had sworn to defend Helen. To rescue her, they declared war on Troy, sacking and burning it after a long siege.

Hecuba became a slave to the Greek hero Odysseus*. On his way back to Greece, Odysseus journeyed through Thrace, which was ruled by King Polymestor. Before the war, Hecuba had asked Polymestor to protect her son Polydorus. However, upon reaching Thrace, she found that the king had killed the boy. The enraged Hecuba tore out Polymestor's eyes and murdered both of his sons. As Odysseus was trying to control her, she turned into a dog. Her tomb was placed on a rocky outcrop located on a narrow strip of water called the Hellespont between Greece and Turkey.

Hecuba is found in the Iliad * and the Aeneid *. She also appears in the plays Hecuba and The Trojan Women by Euripides* and is mentioned in Shakespeare's Hamlet.

See also Aeneid, the; Cassandra; Greek Mythology; Hector; Helen of Troy; Iliad, the; Odysseus; Odyssey, the; Paris;Trojan War.

Hecuba in Greek mythology, queen of Troy, the wife of Priam and mother of children including Hector, Paris, Cassandra, and Troilus; after the fall of Troy and the death of Priam she became a slave. She is taken as the type of a bereft and mourning woman.