In Book III, Aeneas discovers that a Greek city is now ruled by the Trojan Helenus, son of Priam, and Andromache, the widow of Hector. What is Andromache in the middle of doing when Aeneas first encounters her?

 

When the Trojans left the island of Leucata, Aeneas together with his fleet sail in the direction of Italy until they arrived at Buthrotum, in Chaonia. The Greek city was under the ruling of Prophet Helenus, one of King Priam's sons and his wife, Andromache, Aeneas was astonished such a reunion. It was said that when Helenus and Andromache, the wife of Hector were taken by Pyrrhus as prizes of wars, the two seized the power of the kingdom after the latter was killed. 

Andromache recollected their misfortunes when they were held in captivity to Aeneas and how they became rulers of the city. Then Helenus warned him that he would face trials along his journey. Andromache said that to reach the western coast of Italy it is important to take the long way around Sicily to the south. She warned Aeneas about Charybdis, a whirlpool, and Scylla, a six-headed monster. Both could be potentially lethal threats.