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The Palintonos Bow in the Iliad: Technology, Weaponry, and Symbolism In the Iliad, Homer frequently uses the epithet palintonos toxon (παλίντονος τόξον) to describe the bows wielded by famous archers. Translated literally as “bent-back” or “recurve” bow, this term refers to a sophisticated piece of ancient military technology: the composite recurve bow. While close-quarters combat with spears and swords dominated the heroic ideal of Trojan battlefields, the composite bow occupied a unique, highly specialized status in both warfare and narrative symbolism. Engineering and Mechanics of the Recurve Bow Unlike a…