The goddess Thetis quickly flew up to bright Olympus to the copper palace of the god Hephaestus. When Thetis came to Hephaestus's palace, he was in the forge. Covered in sweat, he forged twenty tripods at once. They were on golden wheels, the tripods themselves rolled towards the gods and returned back themselves. All that remained for God to attach to these tripods were patterned handles. God was forging nails for handles when the goddess Thetis quietly entered the palace. The beautiful wife of the god Hephaestus, Charita, saw the goddess. She gently took Thetis by the hand and said to her:
- Enter their palace, Thetis, you rarely visit us. What need brought you to us?
Charita called Hephaestus so that he would quickly go to the goddess Thetis. Hearing that the goddess Thetis had come to him, the one who had once saved his life when Hera threw him off Olympus, Hephaestus hurried to the call of his wife. He rose from the anvil, collected all the tools with which he worked, and put them in a silver-bound casket. Hephaestus wiped his hands, chest, neck and face with a damp sponge, washing away the sweat and soot, got dressed and, leaning on a thick staff, went out to the goddess Thetis. Leading under the arms of the god Hephaestus were servants forged by him from gold, who were as if alive. Hephaestus took Thetis by the hand and asked her:
- Tell me, goddess, what do you want? And if I can, then I am ready to do everything for you.
Bursting with tears, Thetis told how her son lost the armor that the gods gave as a gift to his father Peleus, how Hector killed Patroclus, how Achilles grieves for his friend and yearns to take revenge on his friend’s killer, but has no weapons. The goddess asked Hephaestus to forge weapons for her son. After listening to Thetis, Hephaestus immediately agreed to forge such weapons for him that all people would marvel at its extraordinary beauty.
Hephaestus went back to his forge. He took his furs, placed them near the furnace and ordered the fire to be fanned. The bellows breathed on the fire, obedient to the wishes of Hephaestus, now evenly, now impetuously, fanning a huge flame in the crucible. Hephaestus threw copper, tin, silver and precious gold into the furnace. Then he set down the anvil and grabbed his huge hammer and pincers in his hand. First of all, Hephaestus forged a shield for Achilles. Hephaestus decorated the shield with wondrous images. On it he represented the earth, sea and sky, and in the sky - the sun, month and stars. Among the stars he depicted the Pleiades, Hyades, the constellations Orion and Ursa. Hephaestus and two cities were depicted on the shield. Weddings are celebrated in one city. Wedding processions and choirs of young men move through the streets, and women look at them from the thresholds of their houses. And a public assembly gathered in the square. In it, two citizens argue about the crime of murder. Citizens, divided into two parties, support the disputants. Messengers reassure citizens. The city elders sit around, and each, taking a scepter in his hand, pronounces his decision on a controversial matter. In the circle lie two talents of gold as a reward to the one who judges the litigants more fairly. Another city was besieged by enemies. The besieged, leaving their wives, young men and elders to defend the city, set up an ambush. They are led by the god Ares and the goddess Pallas Athena, majestic and formidable. Two scouts are posted in front to monitor the enemies. But then the herds appeared, captured by the enemies. Citizens hiding in ambush are fighting off cows and sheep. The enemies in the camp heard the noise and hastened to help. A bloody battle has begun, and in the battle between the warriors the goddesses of anger and unrest and the formidable god of death are prowling. Hephaestus depicted arable land on his shield. Plowmen go for plows. When they reach the edge of the field, servants hand them cups of wine. God also depicted the harvesting of bread. Some reapers reap bread, others knit it, and children gather ears of corn. The owner of the field watches with joy how the rich harvest is harvested. Off to the side, women are preparing lunch for the reapers. Next to it was a picture of the grape harvest. Young men and maidens carry grapes in baskets. A handsome young man plays the lyre, and a cheerful round dance moves around him. Hephaestus also depicted a herd of oxen. The herd was attacked by two lions. The shepherds try to drive away the lions, but the dogs are afraid to attack them and only bark. Nearby were depicted silver-fleece sheep grazing in the valley, stalls, stables and shepherds’ huts. Finally, Hephaestus depicted a round dance of young men and maidens dancing, holding hands, and villagers admiring the dance. Around the entire shield Hephaestus depicted the Ocean flowing around the earth. Having made a shield, Hephaestus forged armor for Achilles, burning like a bright flame, a heavy helmet with a golden crest and leggings made of flexible tin.
Having finished the work, Hephaestus took his weapons and took them to the goddess Thetis. Like a fast hawk, she rushed from Olympus to a distant land in order to quickly bring the armor to her son.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru