Aspis (Shield of Heracles)
conceptThe elaborately decorated shield of Heracles described in a poem attributed to Hesiod, depicting scenes of gods, war, and daily life in a tradition echoing the Shield of Achilles.
The Myth
The Aspis, or Shield of Heracles, was forged by Hephaestus for the hero before his duel with Cycnus, the bandit son of Ares who waylaid pilgrims travelling to Delphi. Athena appeared to Heracles and encouraged him to fight. The shield's surface depicted scenes of cosmic scope: the Gorgon's head at the centre, surrounded by images of Fear, Strife, and the din of battle. Beyond these appeared peaceful scenes of harvest and festivity, echoing the shield Hephaestus made for Achilles in Homer's Iliad. Ares himself intervened to protect his son Cycnus, but Athena deflected Ares' spear. Heracles wounded Ares in the thigh, and Cycnus fell. The poem's ekphrasis tradition — describing art within literature — influenced Virgil, Ovid, and centuries of Western literary description.
Parents
Symbols
Fun Fact
The literary tradition of describing an artwork inside a story — called ekphrasis — was essentially invented by Homer's description of Achilles' shield and continued with the Aspis. Every time a novelist pauses to describe a painting on a wall or a filmmaker lingers on a piece of art, they're using a technique that is 2,700 years old.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
Cycnus Son of Ares
heroA son of Ares who built a temple from the skulls and bones of travellers he murdered, killed by...
Achilles
heroThe greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the...
Ares
godGod of the brutal, savage side of war. Unlike Athena's strategic warfare, Ares represented the raw...
Athena
godGoddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, born fully armored from the head of Zeus. Patron deity of...
Athena (Warrior)
godAthena was the goddess of wisdom, strategic war, and craftsmanship — born fully armoured from...
Athena Promachos
godAn epithet of Athena meaning "the Champion" or "who fights in front," represented by a colossal...
Cycnus of Troy
heroSon of Poseidon who was invulnerable to weapons and fought Achilles on the beach at Troy until...
Delphi
placeThe most important oracle in ancient Greece, where the Pythia delivered Apollo's prophecies. The...
Delphi Treasury of Athens
placeThe marble treasury built by Athens at Delphi from Marathon spoils, the best-preserved building on...
Hephaestus
godThe divine blacksmith of Olympus, god of fire and the forge. Despite being lame, Hephaestus created...
Hephaestus (Smith)
godHephaestus was the divine smith who forged Achilles' shield, Harmonia's necklace, Pandora herself,...
Hera
godQueen of the Olympian gods and goddess of marriage. Known for her jealous rages against Zeus's...