The Shield of Achilles:
The shield of Achilles plays a major part in the Iliad. It portrays the story of the
Achaeans and their fight against the Trojans in a microcosm of the larger story. Forged
by the god, Hephaestus, who was a crippled smith, it depicts the two cities and the
happenings within, as well as Agamemnon's kingly estate. To gain insight into the details
and intricacies of the shield, one must look at the shield itself, the cities depicted
within the shield, and the King's Estate and other scenes which are also depicted. These
items will give even an amateur reader a fair understanding of the importance of
Achilles' shield and the Iliad.
Hephaestus, the god of fire, is the smith whom forged Achilles' shield. He begins with
twenty hot bellows and fires bronze, tin, gold, and silver in his kiln. He then proceeds
to hammer the metals upon his anvil to create a massive shield for Achilles to wield. The
shield itself is made of five layers of metal with a triple ply shield strap edging on
the rim. On the shield are scenes showing the heavens and earth and sea, two noble
cities, a king's estate, fallow fields, a thriving vineyard, a herd of longhorn cattle,
and a dancing circle. Once Hephaestus completes the shield he makes a breastplate and
helmet for Achilles. The armor he forges is indestructible and worthy of a god. Through
Homer's description of the shield and how it is forged, the reader can begin to
understand the importance and value of this device in a literary context.
The two cities depicted on the shield represent a city in Greece and Troy. One of the
cities is filled with men dancing and singing and brides marching through the streets,
while the other is circled by an army. This army has two plans which split their ranks:
to share the riches which they have captured or plunder the city and capture more.
Turmoil surrounds each city. In one a quarrel breaks out and is brought to judgement.
Surrounding the other, two armies fight along the river banks killing men and dragging
off the dead. Both cities are tainted with death, and both house love. In the former two
men quarrel over the blood price for a murdered kinsman and take their case to a judge to
decide the outcome. In the latter, children and housewives stand guard as the men march
out to war. This scene is analogous to the Trojans leaving to fight the Achaeans between
their shores and the city. As seen in line 625, " ...now hauling a deadman through the
slaughter by the heels...", Homer foreshadows Achilles victory over Hector and how
Achilles humiliates him.
The king's estate is also portrayed on Achilles' shield. Bountiful harvests of ripe
grain are reaped and bound, and the king stands in silence rejoicing among the endless
bundle of barley. An ox is being prepared for the harvest feast while the women fix the
midday meal. The shield depicts happiness and prosperity for the king (whom represented
Agamemnon, the King of the Achaeans) again foreshadowing the Achean's victory in their
war with Troy.
The shield also shows a thriving vineyard with a winding footpath on which the pickers
run. Among the pickers is a young boy who plays his lyre and sings a lovely dirge. A herd
of longhorn cattle is also shown. The bulls are engraved in the gold and tin along with
the rest of the pasture's swaying reeds and rippling stream. A pair of lions seize a bull
from the front and proceed to devour it. A pack of dogs and herdsmen run to aid, but it
is too late. The smith also forges a meadow for the flocks to graze and a dancing circle
for young boy and girls to court and dance. The scene brings forth a festive and joyous
mood.
As you can see, the shield of Achilles is a finely detailed and intricate piece of
craftsmanship suitable for a god. The details within the cities themselves and within the
King's estate are evidence of this. Not only do they hold beauty in the intricacies, they
also serve to represent the larger story of the Iliad and the war between the Achaeans
and the Trojans. It serves to remind the reader of what has taken place,as shown in the
battle scenes, while setting the scene for what is to come. It acts as a pause for the
reader to step back and absorb the meaning of the events prior, and foreshadows the fall
of Troy.
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