ArtofACOdyssey 10: Heroes Armor Set

Kassandra took some time out of her busy schedule to pose with her newly completed set of Greek Heroes armor! Let’s take a look at the pieces in #ArtofACOdyssey

 

Kassandra with a wolf friend, wearing the Greek Heroes armor set. Screenshot from Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft 2018).

 

First up, we have Perseus’ helmet. The artistic sources don’t agree on its precise form, although it often had wings (which are replicated here, on Kassandra’s temples) and conveyed invisibility. The flavor text alludes to both this and Perseus’ harpe. Pseudo-Hyginus (Astronomica 2.13) notes that the Greeks called it the Helmet of Hades and that Mercury gave it to Perseus along with talaria and a petasos, but notes that it wasn’t ACTUALLY the helmet of Hades because that would be stupid. Hesiod, on the other hand, says it was the cap of Hades and that it had the gloom of night about it (Shield of Heracles 216ff). There also seem to have been competing versions where Perseus got the gear from Hermes, or from Nymphs (Gantz 305).

 

 

 

 

 

Next is none other than Jason’s Golden Fleece. Phrixus and Helle fled their stepmother on the back of a flying golden ram (sired by Poseidon), although Helle fell to her death in what is now the Hellespont. Once they reached Colchis (Georgia) he sacrificed the ram to Poseidon and married into the Colchian royal house. The fleece itself is shown as the hide of a ram, often hanging from a tree while Jason attempt to retrieve it. The kylix by Douris, which we discussed in the very first #ArtofACOdyssey post, is a notable example. At any rate, depictions of Jason and the fleece exist from as early as the 7th/8th c. BCE. While the fleece has been transformed into a cuirass, ram motifs are applied liberally. The flavor text here refers to Jason’s quest for the fleece in order to reclaim his throne. 

 

 

Third are the Bracers of Theseus. During the quest line on Crete you find an entire set of Theseus’ armor, although they are less powerful. As far as I am aware they aren’t particularly important in the mythological tradition – there are a sword and sandals (Kallimachos 235-6PF) which Aegeus leaves under a rock as tokens of recognition for his possible son to bring to Athens. The right bracer has an embossed scene of Theseus wrestling the Minotaur (perhaps he had these made after, when he was a rich king of Athens?).

 

Fourth, we have the legendary Amazon queen Hippolyta’s belt, which Heracles was tasked with stealing as his 9th labor. Gantz (398) suggests that the belt was at first just proof of Heracles’ conquest of the Amazons, but later becomes the object of his quest. Apollonios is the first to name Hippolyta as the belt’s owner (AR 2.966-9). Apollodoros gives us the best known account, in which Hippolyta agrees to give Heracles the belt but Hera stirs up the Amazons with rumors, leading to a battle and Hippolyta’s death (ApB 2.5.9).

 

 

Finally, we have Atalanta’s Sandals. You get these after killing a mercenary named [Pheme] the Flash – apparently the given name is random. The mercenary prays for quickness and gets these shoes in return…although I think they look better on Kassandra. Atalanta, of course, was one of many badass women in Greek mythology. There are lots of different stories associated with a woman named Atalanta, although it isn’t clear if it is the same woman in each. The one referred to here refused to marry unless a suitor could beat her in a footrace, which of course no one could because of her legendary legs (see what I did there? Thanks for the obvious pun, Ubisoft). Hippomenes slows her down with super shiny magical apples from Aphrodite, enabling him to win the race and claim her hand…then, in the best Greek tradition, they die and/or get turned into lions. (Hes. frr 72-76 MW, elaborations by Ovid in Met 10.564-66). “Atalanta” is also mentioned as being part of the Argonauts (or wanting to), growing up with bears, and hunting the Kalydonian boar.

 

I especially appreciate the curated perks that go into this armor set, and how they relate to the heroes; Perseus avoiding damage (invisibility), Hippolyta’s melee resistance, and the set bonus of increased resistance across the board. What I love most, however, is that they provide yet another link between Kassandra/the player and classical mythology. For me at least, the ability to wear physical reminders of the heroes whose footsteps I am adventuring in is even more thrilling than the combat perks.

 

All textual references taken from “Early Greek Myth” by Timothy Gantz.

This was originally published on Twitter, November 11 2018.