Meanings
- Greekhuman sciencesThe nickname of Scamandrius, child son of Hector and Andromache.
In this passage, Andromaque sees Astyanax only through the memorializing lens of his attribution to Hector, his status as "gage."
2008, Roland Racevskis, Tragic Passages: Jean Racine's Art of the Threshold, page 852 more examples
1712, Ambrose Philips, The Distrest Mother, [adapted from 1667, Jean Racine, Andromaque], 1819, The Distrest Mother: A Tragedy, Act 1, Scene 1, page 3, The jealous chiefs, and all the states of Greece, / With one united voice complain of Pyrrhus; / That now, forgetful of the promise giv'n, / And mindless of his godlike father's fate, / Astyanax he nurses in his court; Astyanax, the young, surviving hope / Of ruin'd Troy; Astyanax descended / From a long race of kings—great Hector's son.
After lying that the boy is dead and defying the threat of torture, she^([Andromache]) is unable to conceal her anguish for the boy's life and gives in to the threat that Hector's tomb will be destroyed if Astyanax is dead, that is, to the threat that both the sanctity of the tomb and the life of the boy will be destroyed together.
1983, Norman T. Pratt, Seneca's Drama, page 110
Origin
- Ancient GreekἈστυάναξ“city lord”
- EnglishAstyanax
From Ancient Greek Ἀστυάναξ (Astuánax, “city lord”), the nickname for the firstborn son of Hector, protector of Troy.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek Ἀστυάναξ
- Ἀστυάναξ (Astuánax)Scamandrius, son of Hector
Catalan Astíanax
- AstíanaxScamandrius, son of Hector
Italian Astianatte
- AstianatteScamandrius, son of Hector
Korean 아스티아낙스
- 아스티아낙스 (aseutianakseu)Scamandrius, son of Hector
Portuguese Astíanax
- AstíanaxScamandrius, son of Hector
Cite this entry
Astyanax. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Astyanax
“Astyanax.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Astyanax. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Astyanax,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Astyanax.
Source: Astyanax on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.