Simile - Anna Glenn

As when in their thickness the snowflakes of Zeus come fluttering

Cold beneath the blast of the north wind born in the bright sky,

So now in their thickness the pride of the helms bright shining

Were carried out from the ships, and shields massive in the middle

And the corselets strongly hollowed and the ash spears were worn forth.

Lattimore translation of Illiad book 19, lines 356-360.

In this simile the tenor is flurry of armor being taken from the ships, and the vehicle is the snow sent by Zeus. It is part of a series of similes which use the snows of Zeus as their vehicle (another is in book 12, lines 279-289) but this one struck a chord with me. The news images of Buffalo snow came to mind when I read it, and it really brought home how massive the amount of armor and weaponry must have been to draw such a comparison.  Trying to visualize those kinds of numbers is not easy, especially when we think about the fact that they were also in motion. That the snow comes cold may also have increased the feeling of dread at the thought of all those weapons being put to use.

There is a chaotic feel to this simile, especially with the mention of blasting wind. It is impossible to predict which direction snow may fly on a windy day. It just goes, and we manage as best we can. In this way the snowfall also lends a sense of the inevitable to the events, which is fitting given that Achilles has just rejoined the fighting and we already know his fate.