Astyanax Thrown by Ulysses from the Walls of Troy. A.M. 2820.

This is one of a group of drawings by British artist and book illustrator Edward Francis Burney, depicting scenes from Greek and Roman history and mythology. This composition was used for a headpiece in 'Le Souvenir', a memorandum book published by Suttaby, Evance, Fox, Richardson/London in 1822, on the page for 16th May. This is a scene from the story of the Trojan Wars where, after the fall of Troy, Ulysses kills Hector's son, Astynax, and wife, Andromache. The best-known description of the event is in Euripides' tragedy, 'Trojan Women', written in 415 BC. In ancient art, the death of Astynax is often linked with the murder of King Priam of Troy. However, according to some medieval sources, Astynax survived the Trojan Wars, established Messina in Sicily and founded the line which eventually produced Charlemagne. [ Encyclopaedia Britannica ]