Analysis

An ordinary sword like Kallimachos’ could not defeat the dragon because the dragon is not an ordinary creature; it brings lightning and thunder, has a gluttonous appetite, is the offspring of a maneater and was able to consume all inhabitants of Chrysorroi’s nation. An otherworldly creature, therefore, requires an otherworldly weapon to defeat it. The lotus-shaped sword hilt is similar to the sword with a ‘magnificent ruby hilt’ in Kallimachos and Chrysorroi that killed the dragon. It can be inferred that the ruby-hilted sword has a great amount of detail from the lavishness of the dragon’s castle. If the dragon has ‘[...]a ceiling made completely with gold and pearls[...]’, it seems natural that its sword is also the same, if not more extravagant(45). As for the Serçe Limani sword, though the original appearance of the blade is uncertain, the scabbard remains indicate the blade is double-edged(Bass et al. 363-398). This means that the sword with a lotus hilt is powerful, just like the one used to kill the dragon. The lotus-shaped sword hilt is extraordinary, even if it does not belong to a dragon or is adorned with rubies, but the intricacies indicate the amount of time and effort, which makes it special. This specific combination of monster and artifact reveals that the weapon to defeat the monster must be special. Since magnificent was a word used to describe the dragon’s sword in Kallimachos and Chrysorroi, it can be inferred that this sword has a lot of fine details. Unlike the sword Beowulf wielded to defeat Grendel’s mother, which lacked the same level of physical description, except that it was ‘huge and heavy’(Puchner et al. 160).  To conclude, an ordinary weapon cannot defeat a supernatural being. It must possess a quality that makes it special or unique. This exhibit examined similarities and differences between the dragon’s sword and the Serçe Limani sword. Additionally, contrasting the Serçe Limani sword with secondary artifacts such as the Sword of Mauritius and a page from the Rabanus Maurus manuscript to show that the main artifact was high quality. Lastly, this exhibit examined the characteristics and attributes of the dragon.