Achilles and the Daughters of Lycomedes

Thetis hid her son Achilles at the court of King Lycomedes to keep him out of the Trojan War. There he lived among the king’s daughters, disguised as a woman. To find Achilles, Odysseus devised a trick: he had gifts brought to the women, including a sword and shield. Only Achilles reached for the weapons, thereby revealing himself. Rubens thus presents a myth that deals with gender roles and the stereotype that women lack courage and drive.