Achilles

Achilles's character symbolizes the past. Though Achilles never appears in the scenes from the narrative present, his ghost stalks the pages of the novel and haunts all of the characters. Pyrrhus feels incapable of being the man he wants to be because of the man his father was. Similarly, Briseis feels trapped because she is carrying Achilles's child. Neither of the characters are free from Achilles's reputation. Therefore, their lives in the present are entangled with the weight of the past.

Priam's Ring

Priam's ring symbolizes power. At the start of the novel, Pyrrhus drunkenly gives the late king's ring to Andromache. Later, Amina steals the ring and keeps it for herself. Finally, Pyrrhus offers the ring to Briseis. When she refuses to take it, Pyrrhus dons it and keeps it for himself. Because the ring once belonged to the Trojan king, it is a representation...