Battle of Man

There are numerous classical renditions of Hector taking his final leave of Andromache. All the way from contemporary pottery, up through the Rennaissance, Boroque, Classical, Romantic, and even Modern eras. But from what I've found, this rendition by Antonio Zucchi in the 1700s is likely the most accurate, by my assessment. Most depict what you typically see in classically themed art: over-romanticized symbolism and a far cry from authentic emotional reality. This one, however, seems to call it for what it was. Hector literally has one foot out the door to answer his calling [read: addiction] while trying to reason and sooth Andromache who is clutching his wrist, pleading with him not to go. What is thematic throughout all these paintings is the maid with their baby, and Paris with the spear and shield. Paris was the boy-prince who would/could not fight his own fight that he, himself started. The baby is more than just a baby, but rather a symbol of everything Hector denies and leaves behind when exiting Troy's great walls. It was a fool's errand that Hector could not say no to. Achilles would later drag his corpse behind a chariot, parading it in front of the wall for Andromache and Paris to see.