POLYXENA (mythical daughter of Priam)

After Troy’s defeat, Polyxena found herself in captivity, described as a slave of a dead man and fearful of being sold to a savage master.^2,6,7,3 The Achaean army decided to sacrifice her at the tomb of Achilles to appease his spirit and allow the fleet to sail home safely.^8,9,10,11 Hecuba, her mother, had feared the ghost of Achilles wanted her as a prize and prayed to the gods to protect her from this horror.^12,9,13 Odysseus was appointed to take her to the site, where she asked him to veil her head and lead her away to her death.^8,3 She entered the scene from a tent after being frightened by her mother’s loud calls, though the death ultimately occurred without Hecuba’s full knowledge of the immediate event.^12,10

The son of Achilles, Neoptolemus, was chosen to preside over the rite as priest, and he placed her on the tomb mound for the sacrifice.^8,14,15 A group of young Achaeans held her to prevent her from struggling, yet she declared she would die willingly and asked not to be touched so she would not be considered a slave in death.¹⁵ She was destined to be killed by having her throat cut, a fate she viewed as happier than her current life of captivity and fear.^7,3 Before the fatal blow, she asked her mother to give a message to her father and Hector, and she bid farewell to Cassandra and her brother Polydorus, who was in Thrace.¹⁶ Her heart was melted by her mother’s wailing, but she wept for her mother’s suffering rather than for her own impending end.^16,7

In another account, Helen tricked her into believing she was being married to Pyrrhus, instructing her to dress in the clothing of a Greek bride and braid her golden hair.^2,17 She sought festive robes for her ritual death, feeling intense joy upon learning she would be sacrificed, and was told she would be called the child of Peleus and Nereus.^17,2 She declared she was passing beneath the earth to lie in Hades, stating she would die unwedded and never taste married joys.^16,18,7 It was said her soul was destined to join Achilles' within the borders of Elysium.¹⁹

Polyxena was dead and her body was presented as a corpse to her mother, brought by a maid-servant.^20,21 Hecuba laments the death, describing it as an unhallowed and shameful sacrifice, and asked Agamemnon to delay the burial, which he agreed to postpone.^6,22,21 Andromache covered the body with a mantle and struck her own breast in grief, considering the death a happier fate than her own life.²² A woman went to fetch water from the sea specifically to wash the body, while the army was reported to be busy with the burial rites.^23,20 Her sisters wished to exchange their lots for her death, acknowledging the unique and terrible honor of her sacrifice.¹⁸