Briseis, a beautiful priestess of Apollo, was the wife of King Mynes of Lyrnessus, an ally of Troy. When the Achaean hero Achilles led the assault on Lyrnessus, he slew the husband and captured Briseis to be his unwilling girlfriend.
Back at the Greek camp -- Agamemnon was compelled by Apollo to give up his own Trojan concubine, Chryseis, so he demanded that Achilles hand over Briseis as compensation. Achilles was bad enough, but the thought of Agamemnon made Briseis even more unwilling. As related in The Iliad, this turn of events prompted the dispute with Achilles that ended up in Briseis being delivered to Agamemnon and the Greeks greatest warrior completely withdrawing from battle. Which all too predictably resulted in disastrous consequences for the Achaeans. Despite Agamemnon's subsequent grand offers of gold and women, Achilles did not return to the war until the death of Patroclus at the hand of the Trojan Prince Hector.

For this scene I’ve chosen not to depict Achilles, he’s sulking in his tent, (as per Homer and the Brad Pitt movie "Troy"). Instead, it’s left to Patroclus to have a protracted argument with Menelaus and his Spartans over the fate of the attractive priestess. Agamemnon finally loses the rag with his rather inept brother and intervenes, shouting and bawling, to drag his prize away.

All miniatures, most of them liberated and recycled from an old diorama, are 54mm and include kit figures from El Veijo Dragon, Romeo, Masterclass, Ares Mythologic and Phoenix, plus two Spartans from First Legion.
The shrine is from John Gittins range of scenic accessories and the statue of Apollo in his Sun Chariot was picked up at a market stall in Hong Kong.
Groundwork is my usual celluclay base laid over a wooden miniature display table, static grass, sand and scatter material from Reality in Scale.













Cheers
H

Great bit of storytelling although that goat has spit roast written all over it
As Kev indicates the interaction isspoton.
D

This stage is getting a lot of use, Harry! Another great scene! Is Briseis a Phoenix figure? She looks familiar...

Prost!
Brad

Cheers Kevin and Derek.
The goat had better survive. I need him for another vignette.

Of course it would've been more accurate to have made it a scene from the Peloponnese War.
I just chose to drone on about Briseis cos the story from Troy is so familiar to the average viewer.

Probably should have called it "The Shrine of Aphrodite" to tie in with the Roman "Shrine of Venus" version I previously posted in the WIP section.
Well spotted on the Phoenix figure Brad.
She's part of the Viking Chieftain & Captive Woman set of castings.
https://www.sanddmodels.co.uk/products_32_viking.htm

Was never a great fan of the Pheonix stuff but the viking set always stood out.
I was delighted to be given a painted set by a member who sadly passed away a number of years ago.
Painted very much in the style of the day it nevertheless stacks up well even today.
I've over time swiped pieces for various projects but stil have the chief and captive somewhere.
The beauty of the Pheonix pieces is they lend themselves perfectly for a natural storyteller like Harry

I've no idea where the Viking Chieftain from this set is. He's likely rattling around in some box under the decking in our Japanese Tea Room upstairs.
I'll have a rake around up there and see if I can find him as he'd be a good character to add into my "Tír-ná-nÓg" effort.
Cheers
H

I love Phoenix figures! I snap up the Georgian range and Victorian civilians when I can, though I haven't ordered from S&D yet. I just picked up another sedan chair set on eBay this week.
The figures fit so well with others that I use, like Staddens or Sandersons, and they really help round out a display, with the varied poses.
If you get a chance, look up the carriages Walt Damon has finished. His work is really great, and he shows what beautiful models they build into.
Prost!
Brad

I've got a series of photos that show how I put their 'Single' Brougham Carriage together. I'll see if I can find them and put a suitable SBS article together, then post it in the relevant section of the forum.

Wait a minute, last I recalled, Phoenix ladies are never shrinking violets, much less vestal virgins. Hahahhah.
Rgds Victor

I'm not sure which Phoenix ladies you're talking about?

Are you possibly thinking of the Phoenix Folies range of figures?
See this link.
https://historexagents.com/#RISPLM11
Go to "Brands" in the menu choices. Scroll down the list of manufacturers and select "Phoenix Folies".

The Phoenix figures that Brad and I are discussing are, (I think), from a different manufacturer and are available in the UK from S&D Models as per this link.
https://www.sanddmodels.co.uk/index.htm

Of course, the Phoenix "Lost World of Atlantis" fantasy range was considered somewhat risque in its day. Perhaps not so much nowadays.

Hi Harry

All were under the original Phoenix miniatures, sculpted by Tim Richards. Later part of the range went to SnD models.
He was an excellent sculptor and his women all had oomph. I was just ribbing you.

Rgds Victor

Aah that explains it then. I've always wondered if both were originally done by the same sculptor. Otherwise why would the "Phoenix Folies" name be so similar?
Thanks for the info.

Great all round work Harry.

Glad you like it...it's very simple, but effective enough I reckon.
Cheers
H

Hey, look what I found this morning lurking around at the bottom of one of the drawers of this very table I'm sitting at..!!
It's the companion piece to the casting I used as Briseis -- and it must be at least eight years since I last saw him..!!
I'll have to find him a sword and axe, but that should be easy enough.
That ruined scenic accessory has also been in limbo since I sprayed on a coat of black primer a couple of years ago.
I reckon the Viking and the ruin will make for a very nice stand-alone display piece.
This one has definitely been added to the list of "Stuff to Do".