The video that I found presented various solutions that people have come up with, and the person had their own unusual solution to the problem. One of the solutions he showed was a sheath that was rigid and had part of the sheath cut out so that the sword only had to be pulled out a little before it could be brought over the wielder's shoulder while still covering the sharp edges while in the sheath. The person in the video had a different solution, which was to cut out part of the side of the sheath, which he demonstrates several times throughout the video.
This topic is of particular interest to me because I've watched several movies (Lord of the Rings comes to mind) and played many videogames that feature back sheaths for their heroes. In The Lord of the Rings, Legolas has a pair of long knives in sheaths next to his quiver on his back (there are a couple of problems with back quivers, but that is a rant for some other time), sidestepping the problem of having to pull the blade out really far by just having a shorter blade. In Metal Gear Rising, Raiden has a sheath that actually moves around to facilitate drawing his sword. In Warframe, almost all of the melee weapons have no sheath and are just attached to the back with their edges exposed. All of these examples are badass heroes that use back sheaths.
Back to the Odyssey, since that's what we're reading in class. Odysseus also straps swords to his back as evidenced in book 8, but there is one case where he notably breaks this trend. In 10.439-40, Odysseus says "At that, I thought of drawing my long sword/from by my sturdy thigh, to cut his head off". This implies that Odysseus is wearing his sword in a hip sheath like what we're used to seeing, which is different from the previous three times sword sheath positioning has been mentioned. I wonder if this was an oversight in translation, or if Greeks used back sheaths for carrying swords around and a hip sheath when they anticipated using a sword. That would makes sense given the added difficulty of drawing and sheathing a sword behind yourself. If this is the case, carrying your sword on your back could be a sign that you don't intend to use it, which makes you seem more civilized. I would have to do more research on how Greek soldiers carried their various weapons.
Video that I referenced for those who want it:
Cool post! Honestly, I had never given much thought to the logistics of weapons in stories, so this was an interesting read! In an epic as gory as the Odyssey, it might be interesting to examine all the different weapons they use throughout and the different ways they take care of or store said weapons.
ReplyDeleteLike Solo, I also didn't give much thought to the weapons of the Odyssey,but given how riddled with violence and death it is, I probably should have. I liked your point about how the placement of the sheath would determine the nature of the visit and the wearer's intentions. It also makes me think of xenia. Though I can't seem to find any place which would suggest otherwise, it seems that unknown, weary travelers entered homes with swords in their back sheaths so as to not draw fear. If you do more research, please share. Great post, Cedric!
ReplyDeleteThis post is neat! Back sheaths seem like they'd be really practical when you're carrying the sword around, but in battle, they'd be cumbersome like you said. It seems to me that they'd also leave your chest slightly exposed, especially if you're wielding two swords and try to draw both. Wouldn't your chest be completely vulnerable for a couple seconds? I really like the idea of a back sheath signifying peacefulness. It reminds me of the original purpose of handshakes.
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ReplyDeleteI definitely did not notice this detail while reading, so thanks for pointing it out! It's these little details that make reading really rewarding. If you do more research, keep us updated! I'll be sure to keep track of sword positions from now on, since they appear to have a lot of meaning regarding the relative violence, intended or not, of each moment.
ReplyDeleteNice. It's really cool to learn about this since it's something I honestly would never even know to think about. Weaponry is so complex and I think a lot of times people who are crafting stories go for what makes the scene or the battle look good but they don't really think as much about practicality or realism because they know most people won't notice. The thing is, though, the real and functional weapons sometimes look even cooler! As well, this post made me think about who is telling stories. I wonder that the accuracy or the inaccuracy of these weaponry details says about the people who were passing along this story. Overall, it was cool to have this detail entered into my reading of the story and it's a super unique take! Nice!
ReplyDeleteThere's a great back-sheath moment in the recent _Wonder Woman_ movie (look at me, making timely references to superhero movies!), when Wonder Woman is infiltrating that political banquet in her evening gown, which conceals her swords behind her back. But I'd never considered the hazards of resheathing before--the risk of literally stabbing oneself in the back. It should just enhance our appreciation for Odysseus's warrior skills that he always seems to get out his swords and put it away without incident.
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