Following on the epic poetry you've already read, read section 4.2 in the textbook, a passage from the Iliad that describes a shield made by the god Hephaistos for the hero Achilles. Try to draw it...make the best effort you can. In doing so, consider why it's so difficult to depict and what this says about the epic tradition and write down some brief reactions.
Why is the shield so otherworldly? Why does it (apparently) have moving parts?
What kind of world is depicted on it? On it, two cities are depicted, among other scenes; one city is at war, the other one is peaceful.
Write about what's going on in the peaceful city and what is important in this society, specifically as it contrasts with the warlike society you read about in the other Iliad readings.
Though the shield is part of the same epic tradition, does the society it depicts -- esp in the city at peace -- look anything like the rest of the heroic tradition?