Achilles 'Hephaestus' World: The Shield Of Achilles
The Shield of Achilles Achilles’ shield wa like no other piece of armor. Eva Brann, in her article “Hephaestus’ World: The Shield”, described the shield as “the world of the god who makes it but just as much the world of the man who bears it”. Brann, in the same article, went on to describe such meanings of the shield. Brann explained that in both of Homer’s poems, he believed that artifacts, chariots, garments and shields were all “wonders to behold” but Achilles’ shield was far beyond that. The shield, which Ajax kills himself over and Odysseus loses, was like no other thing ever owned by a human being. Brann explained it as “not imaginable as a trophy for display”. Ajax, because he was a very large man, demanded larger armor and
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Brann described the shield as the image of a world that Homer saw in his mind. In the shield, there are two cities. One was at peace and in celebration. This city is known as the “City of Peace” (Harvard). They were celebrating marriages with processions, music, and dancing. While the women stood at the doors to watch, there were also elders and cheering onlookers. The people were so joyful and showed so much happiness. The other city, on the other hand, was like Troy. This is known as the “City of War” (Harvard). Within this city, there were two plans being considered: to be destroyed or to hand over half the possessions of the lovely. On the cities wall, old men and wives and also children sat to watch. On the shield, you can see the major differences between the two sides. Some people looked at the cities as relation to court systems. In it, there were plaintiffs, defendants, juries and onlookers. There was also a victim, which was a dead man being dragged by his feet. All of the scenes were encompassed by the River Okeanos, also known as the River Ocean. The River Ocean was a great, fresh- water stream which circled the flat earth. It was known, during this time, as the source of all the Earth’s fresh- water (Greek Mythology). Homer describede the shield in book eighteen, lines
Brann described the shield as the image of a world that Homer saw in his mind. In the shield, there are two cities. One was at peace and in celebration. This city is known as the “City of Peace” (Harvard). They were celebrating marriages with processions, music, and dancing. While the women stood at the doors to watch, there were also elders and cheering onlookers. The people were so joyful and showed so much happiness. The other city, on the other hand, was like Troy. This is known as the “City of War” (Harvard). Within this city, there were two plans being considered: to be destroyed or to hand over half the possessions of the lovely. On the cities wall, old men and wives and also children sat to watch. On the shield, you can see the major differences between the two sides. Some people looked at the cities as relation to court systems. In it, there were plaintiffs, defendants, juries and onlookers. There was also a victim, which was a dead man being dragged by his feet. All of the scenes were encompassed by the River Okeanos, also known as the River Ocean. The River Ocean was a great, fresh- water stream which circled the flat earth. It was known, during this time, as the source of all the Earth’s fresh- water (Greek Mythology). Homer describede the shield in book eighteen, lines