In the article, The Shield of Achilles within the Iliad, Oliver Taplin examines the shield of Achilles through the works of Homer: the Iliad and the Odyssey. He begins with the question of why a shield meant as a weapon in war has beautiful scenes, such as weddings and peace, instead of scenes of terror. He compares the design of the Shield of Achilles to Agamemnon’s shield, aegis of Zeus, and The Shield of Heracles; which were all a tool of terror meant to strike fear in their enemies when they look upon them. Taplin brings to life opinions of other scholars’ that may answer his question. One example that Taplin thinks is unlikely, is that Homer could have based his description of the shield on a real artifact. Another example is the beauty …show more content…
It makes us look at the bigger picture when it comes to war and the relation to peace. Taplin then describes the choices that Achilles and Hector make. For Achilles it is joining the war which leads to his death and for Hector it is battling Achilles and losing altimetry leading to the downfall of Troy. He then relates these choses back to the world Achilles will never be able to enjoy and to the city Troy will never be, that were portrayed on the shield. The poem represents the two sides of war, the gains and the losses. As the majority of the poem is of war and despair, Taplin states that through this unequal quantity, it allows peace to stand out and be seen more clearly by the audience. He completes this section by demonstrating the fact that winning glory and being a hero is very different than being remembered or immortalized. He points out that Hector is best known for his scenes with his wife, Andromache and for his death when defending his beloved city, Troy. Achilles is remembered for his untimely death and for his interaction with Hectors father, Priam in the final book of the Iliad. They are admired not because of the triumphs in battle but rather their hardships and how they handle their