Shields of Achilles and Aeneas: Homer’s The Iliad VS. Virgil’s The Aeneid

In Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid, the epic heroes Achilles and Aeneas are gifted with a mighty sword. In the “Iliad” Achilles receives a sword made by the god Hephaestus, but in the “Aeneid” Aeneas is given a sword made by Vulcan. Both swords are symbolic in the epic poems, as the individual themes of war and peace are depicted from ancient times, and both are prophetic of the fates of Achilles and Aeneas.

Achilles’ sword is intricately designed by Hephaestus and is described as “large and huge” (558) with “a silver shield-straw running from edge to edge and five layers of metal” (561-562). On the shield are woven images of the world, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the image of two states that have different scenes. The one city depicted shows a quiet place full of weddings and festivities, but the second city is enough. different The image is of a war city with a “divided army” (593) and a scene of battle.

Aeneas’ sword, like that of Achilles, was also artificially fashioned by Vulcan, and given to Aeneas by Venus. Unlike the various events of war and peace shown on the shield of Achilles, the shield of Aeneas shows moments of future events in the glory that is Rome. The story of Remus and Romulus, the twins who founded Rome, is told on the shield of Aeneas, and also of the glorious battles of Augustus Caesar. The themes in Aeneas’ clip show the promised future.

Although similar to the shields of the heroes, which are finely wrought, the shield of Achilles is not told of so much hope as that of Aeneas. The two Achilles’ heel states that represent war and peace are directly opposed to each other and suggest inequality in the world. /a> that he will not be in the life of Achilles, perhaps foretelling Achilles’ imminent death in battle. Aeneas’ shield depicts the future greatness of Rome. His shield is not at all divided like the shield of Achilles, but spire, elevation, and unity, perhaps a foreshadowing of the eminence of the parts which Aeneas will play in the founded city. Both targets have symbolic value in each of the poems of their author, and the differences between the targets represent very different outcomes that each of the heroes faces.