The ILIAD

Translated by Richmond Lattimore Book 14, -370

“Come; then,  do as I say, let us all be won over; let us take those shields which are best in the army and biggest and put them on, and cover our heads in the complete shining of helmets, and take in our hands our spears that are longest and go…”

A range of sizes of Helmet sculptures, terra-cotta, gold leaf.
A range of sizes of Helmet Sculptures, Terra-cotta

Why Helmets? Why Shields?

Artists, like any other person, can justify their actions in their minds. But I find the inner dialogue to be a private one, best manifest in action and work. And I know that my forte is not words but in building, preferring instead to let others more adept at words speak. As Ajax (Aias) says in Ovid’s Metamorphoses; “I am not at ease with speech, and he is not the one for deeds; if one has need to battle savagely along the field, I am the man to call…” There are many hundred helmets, crates and boxes full. I don’t count. The shields proliferate. They all seem necessary. Each idea leads to six others, large and small. That is the life…..
Helmet, Bronze
Breast Plate and Shields, Bronze sculpture