BLOG#3-"The Two Exceptional Wives"

There are two prominent and distinguished wives of Troy. Those are Creusa, the wife of Aeneas in the book Aeneid and Andromache, the wife of Hector in Illiad and Oddysey. In Illiad and Odyssey, Andromache, foreseeing Hector’s death, pleads with him to withdraw from the fighting. “Dearest, your own great strength will be your death, and you have no pity on your little son, nor on me, ill-starred, who soon must be your widow …” She reminds Hector that all of her family have already been killed in war, including her father and seven brothers, all slain by Achilles, who is destined to defeat Hector in mortal combat. This is the moment on the battlements of Troy, when the Trojans’ great hero Hector has left the fighting momentarily; his wife Andromache comes to speak with him, accompanied by a nurse and their infant son, Astyanax. This designates the great affection expressed by Andromache to her husband.

Just like Andromache, Creusa exhibited such concern and affection to her husband, Aeneas. For instance, When Anchises refuses to leave the house, prompting Aeneas to decide that he will leave to continue the fight against the Greeks so that he may die in battle. Creusa grabs his feet and begs him to think of what would become of Ascanius, Anchises and herself if Aeneas were to be killed. As she does this, Ascanius catches fire with an un-earthly flame. The flame is quickly doused with water. Anchises believes this to be an omen from Jupiter, who confirms this omen by sending a shooting star. Anchises now agrees to flee Troy. The family leaves the home, Aeneas carrying his father and Ascanius holding his hand, while Creusa is to remain some distance behind them. This indicates the unconditional love of Creusa to her husband, Aeneas.

These two situations signify the tenderness of love of the two eminent wives in Troy. They showed their great passion of love to their husbands. And always be reminded that a wife is essential to great longevity. She is also the receptacle of half a man's cares, and two-thirds of his ill-humor. Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses.

“Blessed is the man that hath a virtuous wife, for the number of his days shall be double.”