The Cyclic poet who composed the "Sack" says that Astyanax was also hurled from the city wall.
--- Scholiast on Euripedes, Andromache 10: H.G. Evelyn-White TranslationThe Greeks, after burning the city, sacrifice Polyxena at the tomb of Achilles: Odysseus murders Astyanax; Neoptolemus takes Andromache as his prize, and the remaining spoils are divided. Demophon and Acamas find Aethra and take her with them. Lastly the Greeks sail away and Athena plans to destroy them on the high seas.
--- Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: H.G. Evelyn-White Translation`Then the bright son of bold Achilles led the wife of Hector to the hollow ships; but her son he snatched from the bosom of his rich-haired nurse and seized him by the foot and cast him from a tower. So when he had fallen bloody death and hard fate seized on Astyanax. And Neoptolemus chose out Andromache, Hector's well-girded wife, and the chiefs of all the Achaeans gave her to him to hold requiting him with a welcome prize.
--- Scholiast on Lycophr. Alex., 1268: H.G. Evelyn-White TranslationIlium was in flames, its fires still raging, the altar of Jupiter had soaked up the scanty stream of aged Priam’s blood, and Phoebus’ priestess, dragged forth by the hair, was stretching her hands to heaven in vain appeal. The Trojan women, while they could, embraced the statues of their ancestral gods, and thronged the burning temples, but victorious Greeks dragged them away, enviable spoils of war. Astyanax was hurled down from those towers from which, looking where his mother pointed, he often used to watch his father Hector, fighting on his behalf, and defending the kingdom of his fathers.
--- Ovid, Metamorphosis, Pg 296: Mary M. Innes Translation
As we can see in this text, the actual death of Astyanax is of some debate amongst different writers, but the method of which he dies is usually pretty consistent, with him having been thrown from a tower. We also note that most accounts do not give the reason for the death, simply stating that he was killed. One account to oppose this is the play by Euripides, The Trojan Women, who uses the work to show the effects of war on women and children. We see this account of his death being revealed here:
Enter Talthybios and attendants, bearing the corpse of Astyanax on Hector’s shield.In this text, we get only Hecuba’s speculations for the reason of Astyanax’ death, wondering if the Greeks may have done so out of fear of what he would become. She weeps for him and calls his murder unlike that of any done before. We see in Euripides' account a vision of the war that often gets overlooked in the heralding of right and might and what it does from the perspective of those who are subjected to the suffering resulting from the choices of others. We might also speculate on how a figure like Apollo might have seen this choice, being both the patron of Troy and a protector of children, especially young boys, himself. It brings us to consider the tragedy of war and if waging it is truly the decision of the wise and kind, whatever the justification may be.Chorus Leader
All me! ah me! new troubles fall on my country, to take the place of those that still are fresh! Behold, [1120] you hapless wives of Troy, the corpse of Astyanax, whom the Danaans have cruelly slain by hurling him from the battlements.Talthybios
Hecuba, one ship alone delays its plashing oars, [1125] and it is soon to sail to the shores of Phthia freighted with the remnant of the spoils of Achilles’ son; for Neoptolemos is already out at sea, having heard that new calamities have befallen Peleus, for Akastos, son of Pelias, has banished him from the realm. Therefore he is gone, not having the pleasure [kharis] of delaying, [1130] and with him goes Andromache, who drew many tears from me when she set out from the land, wailing her country and crying her farewell to Hector’s tomb [tumbos]. And she begged her master leave to bury this poor dead child of Hector [1135] who breathed out his psūkhē when hurled from the turrets; entreating too that he would not carry this shield, the terror of the Achaeans—this shield with plates of brass with which his father would gird himself—to the home of Peleus or to the same bridal bower where she, Andromache, [1140] the mother of this corpse, would be wed, a bitter sight to her, but let her bury the child in it instead of in a coffin of cedar or a tomb of stone, and to your hands commit the corpse that you may deck it with robes and garlands [stephanoi] as best you can with your present means; [1145] for she is far away and her master’s haste prevented her from making funeral rites [taphos] the child herself. So we, when you have arranged [kosmeîn] the corpse, will heap the earth above and set upon it a spear; but do you with your best speed perform your allotted task; [1150] one toil however I have already spared you, for I crossed Scamander’s stream and bathed the corpse and cleansed its wounds. But now I will go to dig a grave [taphos] for him, that our united efforts [1155] shortening our task may speed our ship towards home [oikos].Exit Talthybios.
Hecuba
Place the shield upon the ground, Hector’s shield so deftly rounded, a piteous sight, and not philon for me to see. O you Achaeans, more reason have you to boast of your prowess than of your phrenes. Why have you in terror of this child [1160] been guilty of a murder never matched before? Did you fear that some day he would rear again the fallen walls of Troy? It seems then you were nothing after all, when, though Hector’s fortunes in the war were prosperous and he had ten thousand other arms to back him, we still were daily overmatched; and yet, now that our city [polis] is taken and every Phrygian slain, [1165] you fear a tender child like this! I do not commend the fear of one who fears but never yet has reasoned out the cause.Ah! most philos, yours is a piteous death indeed! If you had died for your city [polis], when you had tasted of the sweets of manhood, of marriage, and of godlike tyranny [turannos] over others, [1170] then were you blessed [makar], if anything here is blessed [makar]. But now, once again seeing and recognizing with your soul [psūkhē], you know them no more, my child, and have no joy of them, though heir to all. Ah, poor child! how sadly have your own father’s walls, those towers that Loxias reared, shorn from your head [1175] the locks your mother fondled, and so often caressed, from which through fractured bones the face of murder grins—briefly to dismiss my shocking theme. O hands, how sweet the likeness you retain of his father, and yet you lie limp in your sockets before me! [1180] Philon mouth, so often full of words of pride, death has closed you, and you have not kept the promise you made, when nestling in my robe, “Ah, mother, many a lock of my hair I will cut off for you, and to your tomb [taphos] will lead my troops of friends, taking a fond [philon] farewell of you.” [1185] But now I am not to be buried by you, but you, the younger one, a wretched corpse, are honored with funeral rites by me, on whom old age has come without city [polis] and without children. Ah me, those kisses numberless, the nurture that I gave to you, those sleepless nights—they all are lost! What shall the bard [mousopoios] inscribe upon your tomb [taphos] about you? [1190] Argives once for fear of him slew this child? Foul shame should that inscription be to Hellas. O child, though you have no part in all your father’s wealth, yet shall you have his brazen shield in which to be honored with burial rites [verb, taphos]. Ah! shield that kept safe the comely arm of Hector, [1195] now have you lost your most noble [aristos] keeper! How fair upon your handle lies his imprint, and on the rim that circles around are marks of sweat, that trickled often from Hector’s brow as he pressed it against his beard in the ordeals [ponoi] of battle. [1200] Come, bring forth, from such store as you have, adornment [kosmos] for the hapless dead, for the daimōn gives no chance now for lovely offerings; yet of such as I possess, you shall receive these gifts. He is a foolish mortal who thinks his luck secure and so rejoices [khairein]; for fortune, like a madman in her moods, [1205] springs towards this man, then towards that; and no one ever experiences the same unchanging luck.
Chorus Leader
Look! all is ready and they are bringing at your bidding from the spoils of Troy adornment [kosmos] to put upon the dead.Hecuba
Ah! my child, it is not as victor over your comrades [1210] with horse or bow—customs [nomoi] Troy honors [timeîn], without pursuing them to excess—that Hector’s mother decks you now with ornaments from the store that once was yours, though now Helen, whom the gods abhor, has bereft you of your own, yes, and robbed you [1215] of your life [psūkhē] and caused your house [oikos] to perish root and branch.Chorus
Woe! thrice woe! my heart [phrenes] is touched, and you the cause, my mighty lord of the city [polis] in days now passed!Hecuba
About your body now I swathe this Phrygian robe of honor, which should have clad you on your marriage-day, [1220] wedded to the noblest of Asia’s daughters. You too, philon shield of Hector, victorious parent of countless triumphs past, accept your crown, for though you share the dead child’s tomb, death cannot touch you; for you merit honors [timeîn] far beyond those arms[10] [1225] that sophos, kakos Odysseus won.Chorus
Alas! alas! you, O child, shall earth take to her breast, a cause for bitter weeping. Mourn, you mother!Hecuba
Alas!Chorus
[1230] Wail for the dead.Hecuba
Woe is me!Chorus
Woe indeed for your unending sorrow [kaka]!--- Euripedes, The Trojan Women: E. P. Coleridge Translation
In the most generous accounts, we consider the reasons given for the choices of the Greeks - Not one of unbridled cruelty, but a calculated choice that demands the safety of a people against a future threat. It is the ultimate trolley problem - Do you make a decision to sacrifice a single innocent for the sake of a people?
If we are lucky, we might never have to contend with this dilemma on such a scale, that truly the lives of someone else may never be in our hands, but there are those that also ask the question even if it is not a matter of life and death - In fact, where continuing to live may in itself be a form of torture for the betterment of others. Even in our lives, we may have to deal with decisions like this, when we may be in a position of power or authority over others and may have to make decisions in the accommodation of the few to the detriment of the many or have to pick the needs of the many to outweigh the hardships of the few. To have more power, more control, more certainty in many cases demands these difficult choices even more of the time. To paraphrase a popular tale of our own time, to be powerful is to be burdened with incredible responsibilities.
I bring you the following questions to think about for today's discussion.
These are just things to get the discussion started and you can feel free to explore other ideas or thoughts if you have them:
Think about a situation in which you may have a degree of power over other people. Perhaps it is you being in charge of your siblings while you’re babysitting. Perhaps it is in how you can use your voice to sway the opinions of your friends or loved ones against a certain person or group. Perhaps it is you being the leader of a club or group at school. In those situations, when might you have made decisions in the past or could make decisions in the future that benefit one person or one group at the expense of another? Write down a list of those who may be influenced by your decisions. Spend some time reflecting on if they were decisions you could live with - Why or why not? Perhaps also write down about some other decisions you could have made in that position and how you think that might have affected those people. Remember that there is not necessarily a “right” answer to your situation; That is to say, sometimes decisions are complicated and we can only do that which we think is best and most aligns with our own morals at the time. This is just an exercise to give you a chance to know yourself and to make sure that you're not blindsided by the consequences of impulsive actions.