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A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

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CHAPTER VIII<br />

THE EPIC OR HOMERIC AGE<br />

I. <strong>The</strong> Shield <strong>of</strong> Achilles<br />

Achilles, son <strong>of</strong> the goddess <strong>The</strong>tis, was the most valiant <strong>of</strong> all the<br />

heroes who took part in the Trojan War; Ancient World, 95 f. After<br />

he had quarrelled with Agamemnon, leader <strong>of</strong> the expedition, and had<br />

become reconciled, Hephaestus, the artisan god, forged for him a<br />

splendid suit <strong>of</strong> armor. <strong>The</strong> following passage tells how Hephjestus<br />

made and decorated the shield. <strong>The</strong> chief value <strong>of</strong> the extract lies,<br />

not only in the artist's work known to Homer, but even more in the<br />

pictures <strong>of</strong> life which covered the shield—the marriage festival, the<br />

trial, the siege and ambush, plowing, reaping, the vintage, the<br />

herdsmen protecting their flocks from lions, the youths and maidens<br />

dancing. Homer, Iliad, xviii. 478-607.<br />

First fashioned he a shield great and strong, adorning<br />

it all over, and set thereto a shining rim, triple, brightglancing,<br />

and therefrom a silver baldrick. Five were the<br />

folds <strong>of</strong> the shield itself; and therein fashioned he much<br />

Hephaestus<br />

fashions the<br />

shield.<br />

Iliad xviii.<br />

478 ff.<br />

cunning work from his wise heart. . . .<br />

a. Also he fashioned therein two fair cities <strong>of</strong> mortal<br />

men.<br />

In the one were espousals and marriage feasts, and<br />

beneath the blaze <strong>of</strong> torches they were leading the brides<br />

from their chambers through the city, and loud arose the<br />

bridal song.<br />

And young men were whirling in the dance,<br />

and among them flutes and viols sounded high; and the<br />

women standing each at her door were marvelling. But<br />

the folk were gathered in the assembly place; for there<br />

a strife was arisen, two men striving about the blood-price<br />

<strong>of</strong> a man slain; the one claimed to pay full atonement,<br />

81<br />

Marriage.<br />

Homeric age;<br />

Greece, 10-17;<br />

Ancient<br />

World, 83-s.<br />

A trials

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