Hector’s farewell to his wife and son is arguably the most tragic scene in Homer’s Iliad. Towards the end of book 6, the warrior takes a swift break from the battlefield as he makes special visitations to Hecuba, Paris, and Andromache in the city of Troy. Hector finds Andromache cradling his child, and prays to the gods that he lives a successful and fulfilling life. The meaning of this seemingly innocent scene is that it is portrayed amidst the bloodshed and brutality of the Iliad. Specifically, the poet places special focus on the themes of honour, family, war, and innocence. Homer utilizes the epithet “glorious Hector” to exemplify the warrior’s honour, which directly relates to the preceding moment in which Andromache pleads Hector to
