Vail’s Shield of Achilles Featured in Catholic Faith & Culture Video Course

October 4, 2019October 4, 2019Kathleen_Vail 5 Comments

Vail's Shield of Achilles featured in University of Dallas Catholic Studies Video Course

Can you imagine my incredible surprise to discover a Catholic University interested in endorsing my reconstruction of Achilles' spectacular shield?! It was - and still is - indescribably delightful!! The University of Dallas Catholic Faith & Culture Program offers a higher level study of faith through video courses and it's a great honor for my reconstruction of the Shield of Achilles to be included in such a thoughtful and enlightening program....Continue Reading

My Book, Reconstructing the Shield of Achilles, is Now Published!

October 1, 2018October 2, 2018Kathleen_Vail 15 Comments

Finally, my dream has come true and my book, Reconstructing the Shield of Achilles, is now published and available on Amazon.com! ...Continue Reading

Guest Post: Achilles’ Shield and Schiller’s Philosophy of Aesthetics, by Corry Shores

September 14, 2018September 22, 2018Kathleen_Vail 8 Comments

Friedrich Schiller - German Postage Stamp via Wikimedia Commons

Combining Friedrich Schiller's philosophical view of aesthetics with a full gallery of images, Corry Shores of Pirates & Revolutionaries offers a deeper appreciation for the many interpretations of Achilles' legendary shield. ...Continue Reading

Thetis Delivering Achilles’ Shield in Art Through the Ages

August 14, 2018August 25, 2018Kathleen_Vail 13 Comments

Achilles Receiving New Armor From Thetis, Wall Mural by Carl Adolf Henning, ca. 1838-1856. Source: CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

The epic voyage of Thetis delivering Achilles' shield and spectacular new armor spans nearly 2,600 years of art history, adorning objects as diverse as ancient Greek vases, magnificent gold jewelry, bronze chariots and...Continue reading

C.P. Cavafy: The Horses of Achilles – A New Translation by Kathleen Vail

July 12, 2018July 12, 2018Kathleen_Vail 19 Comments

Automedon with the Horses of Achilles, Henri Regnault, 1868

Stepping into a legendary scene unfolding in Homer’s Iliad, C. P. Cavafy sheds new light on the angst that drives the horses of Achilles to tears...Continue reading

Thetis Delivered Achilles’ Shield to…Lord Nelson at Trafalgar?

May 1, 2018April 30, 2018Kathleen_Vail 8 Comments

Thetis Delivering Achilles' Shield by William Theed, the Elder

With many uncanny parallels, Lord Nelson's prayer for divine intervention on the eve of the Battle of Trafalgar was answered in ways very similar to Achilles' prayer during the Trojan War. ...Continue reading

Reviewing Homer’s Iliad: The Shield of Memory by Dr. Ken Atchity

April 3, 2018April 3, 2018Kathleen_Vail 9 Comments

Painting of "Homer Among the Greeks" by Gustav Jäger. The following image is of a mural at the Weimar Castle in Germany, which was completed in 1808 by painter, Gustav Jäger entitled, "Homer Among the Greeks" Source: Hadrian6 via 300SpartanWarriors

In Homer's Iliad: The Shield of Memory, Dr. Kenneth Atchity follows Homer's footsteps through the Iliad like a lover intent on winning his heart and mind. What's more, Atchity invites us to a beautiful symposium, discussing his journey clearly and compellingly, enticing us with amazing glimpses into the ingenious mind and motives of Homer...Continue reading

Hephaestus Forging the Shield of Achilles in Art Through the Ages

February 16, 2018February 16, 2018Kathleen_Vail 6 Comments

Did the fabulous Shield of Achilles ever exist? Commanding a presence for something like 3,000 years so far, the existential reality of Achilles' armor in art throughout the ages leaves little wiggle room for those who discredit Homer's account of Achilles' Shield...Continue reading

Guest Post: Achilles’ Violent Shouting by Tom Hillman

January 19, 2018January 19, 2018Kathleen_Vail 2 Comments

Detail from The Fight of Achilles against Scamander and Simoeis by Auguste Couder, ca. 1819. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Spotlighting that dramatic moment when Achilles' terrifying cry of grief rends the Trojan sky, Tom Hillman erases the ages between ancient and modern heroes...Continue reading

The Life of Achilles by Peter Paul Rubens

October 18, 2017October 18, 2017Kathleen_Vail 9 Comments

Blossoming from the brush of Rubens, Achilles' life force has rooted itself ever more deeply into history, propagating itself onto sumptuous tapestries, prized possessions adorning European palaces and national museums...Continue reading