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“This is the son of none other than Troy’s very own Prince Hector. Know that he will grow from a boy to an avenger. One fueled with rage, as you're consumed by age. If you don't end him now, you'll have no one else to save you.”
“I could raise him as my own!”
“He will burn your house and throne.”
“Or send him far away from home!”
“He'll find you wherever you go.”
“Make sure his past is never known!”
“The gods will make him know.”
“I'd rather bleed for you! I'm on my knees for you! Im begging please–”
“This is the will of the gods.”
“Please don't make me do this! Don't make me do this!!!”
“The blood on your hands is something you won't lose, all you can choose is whose.”
Despite the risk. Odysseus took the infant home with him. He just couldn't bring himself to harm him.
After ten years of war, he made it home in less than a month, and Penelope happily agreed to raise the child with him. Telemachus was ecstatic to have a little brother.
Odysseus never told either of them about the prophecy, for fear it would make them treat the child differently. Little did he know exactly how it would come true.
When Astyanax was about seven years old, Odysseus walked into his throne room to see Telemicus throwing a bucket of water over his throne and part of his wall.
“Astyanax,” Telemachus said, “That's why you don't play with candles. What if the whole house had burned down instead of just part of it!?”
Odysseus laughed, walking up to them. “It's alright Telemachus. I'm not mad. Are either of you hurt?”
“Nope,” Telemachus said. “The throne's pretty badly burnt, so is the wall behind it.”
Indeed, the back of his throne was partially burnt off, and the wall was blackened with soot.
“No harm done. We can have it fixed,” Odysseus said. Then he turned to Astyanax. “Your brother is right though, you really shouldn't play with candles.”
“Okay dad…”
He will burn your house and throne.
“Hey dad?” Astyanax said.
“Yeah?” Odysseus asked.
“I think I just met one of the gods…”
Odysseus turned to look at him. “I see, do you know who it was?”
“He said his name’s ‘Hermes’ and he said he had a message from Zeus.”
Odysseus frowned. He was worried. “What was it?”
“He said that your army killed my dad in war and you kidnapped me.”
“Ah,” Odysseus said, “I see.”
“But I don't know why he said that. I already knew that!”
Which was true. Odysseus had told him at the age of ten.
The gods will make him know.
Well. Not before Odysseus did.
“Dad!” Astyanax said, running up to him out of breath.
“What are you doing here?” Odysseus asked. He was several miles away from home, and neither of his son's had ever been here before. “What is it?”
“You gotta come home! Antinous is trying to fight Telemachus!”
“Say no more, let's go.”
He'll find you wherever you go.
When they got back home Telemachus had a broken arm, and Antinous was about to deal the final blow. Odysseus ran forward but he was older now. His son was faster than him.
“I won't let you hurt my brother!” Astyanax screamed. He jumped forward and stabbed Antinous.
Know that he will grow from a boy to an avenger. One fueled with rage, as you're consumed by age.
Eurydamas, it turned out, was not happy with the death of his friend. Unfortunately, he blamed Odysseus for it.
(And perhaps, he wanted Penelope for himself once Odysseus was gone.)
Odysseus was walking through the garden with his family, when suddenly there was a ‘clang’ behind him.
He turned around and saw Eurydamas holding a knife. With Astyanax holding a sword to block it.
Surprisingly, Telemachus was the first to move. He stabbed Eurydamas while his blade was locked against the sword of Astyanax.
If you don't end him now, you'll have no one else to save you.
And nobody else had noticed Eurydamas at first. Nobody else COULD'VE saved him.