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

Guest Post: Achilles’ Shield Portrays an Ancient Greek View of Reality, by James R. Harrington

March 29, 2019Kathleen_Vail 6 Comments

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

Does Homer's legendary Shield of Achilles depict reality in Ancient Greece? In this guest post by James R. Harrington, the question is turned on its head. Are we questioning Homer's veracity, or are we asking something deeper? ...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

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

Guest Post: Learning Ancient Greek Medicine from Homer by Rachel Hajar, MD

May 16, 2018May 15, 2018Kathleen_Vail 10 Comments

Chalkidian Black-figure Lidded Belly Amphora, ca. 540 BCE by the Inscriptions Painter, depicting battle scenes from the Trojan War. Source: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia via Wikimedia Commons [CC0]

Exploring the gory battle wounds and graphic medical treatments narrated in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Dr. Rachel Hajar offers interesting insights into ancient Greek medicine. ...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 5 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 Poem: “Sandals on the Ground” by John Flanagan

September 15, 2017September 15, 2017Kathleen_Vail 8 Comments

a ProtoCorinthian Olpe ca. 650-640 BCE by the Chigi Painter depicting a Hoplite phalanx. Source: Wikimedia Commons

After keeping this treasure buried for over a year, the time has finally arrived to share this terrific poem about the Trojan War by John 'Poet' Flanagan. With its intriguing perspective from the enlisted soldier's point of view, Sandals on the Ground is classic. ...Continue Reading

A Mycenaean Ship Maneuver Depicted on a Minoan Shipwreck Fresco

September 8, 2017September 9, 2017Kathleen_Vail 8 Comments

Could it be more than a mere coincidence that a Bronze age Minoan fresco from Akrotiri (Santorini) depicts a Mycenaean shipboard war tactic described in Book 15 of Homer's Iliad? ...Continue Reading

THE SHIELD OF ACHILLES

Artistic Reconstruction and Original Translation From Homer's "Iliad" by Kathleen Vail

Homer