In
Greek mythology,
Hector (
Hektor, ) was a
Trojan prince and the greatest fighter for Troy in the
Trojan War. As the first-born son of King
Priam and Queen
Hecuba, who was a descendant of
Dardanus and
Tros, the founder of Troy, he was a prince of the royal house and the
heir apparent to his father's throne. He was married to
Andromache, with whom he had an infant son,
Scamandrius (whom the people of Troy called
Astyanax). He acted as leader of the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, "killing 31,000 Greek fighters", offers Hyginus. During the European Middle Ages, Hector figures as one of the
Nine Worthies noted by
Jacques de Longuyon, known not only for his courage but also for his noble and courtly nature. Indeed, Homer places Hector as peace-loving, thoughtful as well as bold, a good son, husband and father, and without darker motives. James Redfield writes of Hector as a "martyr to loyalties, a witness to the things of this world, a hero ready to die for the precious imperfections of ordinary life."
