The Iliad
Good examples of the Homeric arming scene are those with Paris, Agamemnon, Patrklos, and Achilles. These scenes involved detailed accounts of each individual soldier suiting up for battle. Of the four extended descriptions that occur in the Iliad, the first, of Paris, is ten lines long; Agamemnon takes thirty-two lines to equip himself, Patroklos fifteen, and Achilleus twenty-three.
Statue of Homer outside the Bavarian State Library...
From Bovillæ on the Via Appia.
Homer was also called Melesigenes (son of Meles) b...First Paris is described fastening his "fair" greaves linked with silver. Homer using the word fair to describe his graves coincides with the personality and physical appearance of Paris as a person. `Next he put on a corselet around his chest, the one belonging to his brother Lykaon: it fitted him too'. This line tells the reader that Paris does not suit up for war often. Since he does not suit up often he has no need too have his own corselet and instead he wears his brother's. This may be the reason that Homer does not spend a long time describing Paris' armouring scene because Paris was not as great of a warrior as Patroklos, Agamemnon, and Achilleus. Paris is described slinging a sword with silver nails and bronze sword across his shoulder. Then he picked up a "huge and heavy" shield. The weight of the shield is probably emphasized more on Paris because he was more of an arrow shooter than a direct sword warrior thus he was not use to carrying such heavy equipment. Even the description of the plumes on his helmet flowing was an image of Paris' own hair blowing fairly. Then he picked up his spear. The way Paris armoured himself was very much like his personality, fair and not use to hard work.
Agamemnon's armouring scene is describe next of the four warriors. Homer spends a lot more time...