The Shield of Achilles. From the Illiad.

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…beauty in the intricacies, they also serve to represent the larger story of the Iliad and the war between the Achaeans and the Trojans. It serves to remind the reader of what has taken place,as shown in the battle scenes, while setting the scene for what is to come. It acts as a pause for the reader to step back and absorb the meaning of the events prior, and foreshadows the fall of Troy.