Shields of Achilles and Aeneas

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer compares the different aspects, both physical and symbolic, attributed to the shields of Achilles and Aeneas. Throughout the paper the writer provides extensive background of both the shields. The writer also explains both the story of Achilles in "The Iliad" by Homer and of Aeneas in Virgil's 'Aeneid'. Further, the writer discusses how the shields were influenced and involved in the stories themselves. Most importantly, the writer analyzes the roles of both shields in their respective works and compares the impacts they make on their respective epic heroes.

From the Paper:

"In Homer's great work, the Iliad, Achilles is given a set of armor, including a glorious shield which allows him to return to battle and carry out his revenge against Hector. Likewise, in Virgil's Aeneid, Aeneas is sent a shield for the purpose of aiding him in defending Rome from invasion. However, these shields are made special not by their military value, but by the engravings that decorate their surfaces. Achilles' shield holds engravings of common life during his time: farmers plowing the land, young men and women dancing in the vineyards, scenes of the countryside, slaves working for their kings, and armies fighting each other. On the other hand, Aeneas' shield holds the story of Italy, from the birth of the twins, Romulus and Remus, to the peak of the Roman Empire. Because of the images that are depicted on both shields, they are of much more significance than just tools of war. These shields represent all that their nations are worth and have been especially chosen for each hero to carry. This, therefore, makes their presences in the Iliad and the Aeneid worth recognizing."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Byre, Calvin S. "Narration, Description, and Theme in the Shield of Achilles." The Classical Journal Oct.-Nov. (1992): 33-42.
• Edwards, Mark W. Homer: Poet of the Iliad. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 1987.
• Hardie, Philip R. Virgil's Aeneid: Cosmos and Imperium. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986.
• Homer. The Iliad of Homer. Trans. Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1951.
• Putnam, Michael. Virgil's Epic Designs: Ekphrasis in the Aeneid. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998.

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