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The Shield of Achilles
Although Zeus’ complex plans are clear to the reader of the Iliad, the will of the gods is much more unclear to the men on the Trojan battlefield. The soldiers are forced to watch for omens that the gods send them, and deciding what is truly a sign from a god can be difficult to interpret. The clearest sign of any god’s support comes in the form of Zeus’ eagle, which signals to soldiers that Zeus is on their side. When men choose to ignore it, as Hector does in Book 12, the consequences can be dire.
Zeus’ Eagle Quotes in The Iliad
The The Iliad quotes below all refer to the symbol of Zeus’ Eagle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book 12
Quotes
Fight for your country—that is the best, the only omen!
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Zeus’ Eagle Symbol Timeline in The Iliad
The timeline below shows where the symbol Zeus’ Eagle appears in The Iliad. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 8
...army, and Zeus sends a sign of encouragement to Agamemnon in the form of an eagle. The eagle gives the Achaean army hope, and they begin to fight back.
(full context)
Book 12
As Hector and Polydamas try to storm the ramparts, they see an omen, an eagle holding a bloody serpent in its talons. The serpent bites the eagle, which releases it...
(full context)
Book 13
...fresh reinforcements, Hector once again pushes the Trojans forward. Great Ajax taunts Hector, and another eagle sweeps past the Achaeans, which the Achaeans take as a positive omen. Hector criticizes Ajax’...
(full context)
Book 24
...Priam to pray for a sign from Zeus first, and Priam agrees. Zeus sends an eagle to reassure them. Priam sets out in his wagon, accompanied by his old driver.
(full context)
