Ekphrasis

A dramatic description of of a visual work of art. In The Iliad, Homer exercises ekphrasis through the description of the various weapons of the warriors. The most obvious example is the description of the creation and image of Achilles' shield, forged by Hephaestus after Achilles decides to return to the war. The images that appear on the shield show the world in the war that the Ancient Greeks saw the world. Pictured at the center are the gods, indicating the start of the known universe. The next layer shows a city at peace and a city at war. While these images could be Troy before and during the war, they help encourage the idea that law and order help maintain peace. The next layer are images of the seasons, showing how the Ancient Greeks idealized agrarian society. This is a different type of peace then that of the city at peace. These images show a peace and harmony with nature, which can be considered as genuine, ideal peace, or real peace. The next layer displays a choral dance, which is another made thing and another type of art that is described with words only. The last layer is that of the ocean, which symbolizes to the Ancient Greeks the end of control that art, and life, give. The ocean is terrorfying because it is unknown and unlimited. However, it is also the beginning of everything, since water is essential for life. This supports the idea that chaos is the start of everything in Ancient Greece, since the gods brought control to chaos.

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