Asterix And The Chieftain's Shield
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''Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield'' (, "The Arvernian Shield") is the eleventh volume in the
Asterix ''Asterix'' ( or , "Asterix the Gauls, Gaul"; also known as ''Asterix and Obelix'' in some adaptations or ''The Adventures of Asterix'') is a Franco-Belgian comics, French comic album book series, series about a Gaulish village which, thanks ...
comic book series a Media (communication), medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of Panel (comics), panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, Glo ...
, written by
René Goscinny René Goscinny (; ; 14 August 1926 – 5 November 1977) was a French comic editor and writer, who created the ''Asterix, Astérix'' comic book series with illustrator Albert Uderzo. Born in France to a Jewish family from Poland, he spent his chil ...
and drawn by Albert Uderzo. It was originally published as a serial in
Pilote ''Pilote'' (), for a while subtitled ''the magazine of Asterix and Obelix'' (French: ''Le Journal D’Astérix et D’Obélix'' ) was a French comics magazine published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major Franco-Belgian comics, French ...
issues 399–421 in 1967. The book is inspired by the
battle of Alesia The Battle of Alesia or siege of Alesia (September 52 BC) was the climactic military engagement of the Gallic Wars, fought around the Gauls, Gallic ''oppidum'' (fortified settlement) of Alesia (city), Alesia in modern France, a major centre ...
, where the
Gaul Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...
ish warrior chief
Vercingetorix Vercingetorix (; ; – 46 BC) was a Gauls, Gallic king and chieftain of the Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman Republic, Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. After surrendering to C ...
surrendered to
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
. However, only the very end of the actual battle appears in the book – the main plot concerns what happened after the battle. This episode, like '' Asterix and the Cauldron'', is plotted like a detective novel, with a mystery to be solved at the very end.


Plot summary

The book begins with
Vercingetorix Vercingetorix (; ; – 46 BC) was a Gauls, Gallic king and chieftain of the Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman Republic, Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. After surrendering to C ...
conceding defeat to
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
. His surrendered weapons remain at Caesar's chair for several hours, until a Roman archer steals Vercingetorix's famous
shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry like spears or long ranged projectiles suc ...
, which he loses in a game of
dice A die (: dice, sometimes also used as ) is a small, throwable object with marked sides that can rest in multiple positions. Dice are used for generating random values, commonly as part of tabletop games, including dice games, board games, ro ...
to another legionary, who then loses it to a drunken centurion, in return for the centurion not reporting him for a military offence. The centurion himself uses the shield to pay for a jar of
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...
at a nearby Gaulish inn; later, the shield is given by the innkeeper to a survivor of the
Battle of Alesia The Battle of Alesia or siege of Alesia (September 52 BC) was the climactic military engagement of the Gallic Wars, fought around the Gauls, Gallic ''oppidum'' (fortified settlement) of Alesia (city), Alesia in modern France, a major centre ...
. Following this
prologue A prologue or prolog (from Ancient Greek πρόλογος ''prólogos'', from πρό ''pró'', "before" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is an opening to a story that establishes the context and gives background details, often some earlier st ...
, Chief Vitalstatistix is made helpless by a sore
liver The liver is a major metabolic organ (anatomy), organ exclusively found in vertebrates, which performs many essential biological Function (biology), functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the Protein biosynthesis, synthesis of var ...
, a consequence of overeating and drinking at his last banquet. Having demonstrated this, and temporarily eased the chief's pain, the
druid A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. The druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no wr ...
Getafix sends Vitalstatistix to a hydrotherapeutic center in Arverne to be cured, with Asterix and Obelix (and Dogmatix) as his escort. On the way, they stop at various inns, where the heavy food revives the chief's sickness. At Arverne, the Gauls initially remain together; but because Asterix, Obelix, and Dogmatix are in no need of special diets, they feast on
wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...
and
beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...
while everyone else eats "boiled vegetables". When other patients complain, Vitalstatistix sends Asterix, Obelix, and Dogmatix to Gergovia. Along the way, the Gauls are offended by Roman
envoy Envoy or Envoys may refer to: Diplomacy * Diplomacy, in general * Envoy (title) * Special envoy, a type of Diplomatic rank#Special envoy, diplomatic rank Brands *Airspeed Envoy, a 1930s British light transport aircraft *Envoy (automobile), an au ...
Noxius Vapus, and vanquish his guards. In the aftermath, Asterix, Obelix, and Dogmatix befriend the local tavern-keeper Winesanspirix, who retains them thereafter as guests. When Noxius Vapus makes his report to Caesar in Rome, Caesar plans a triumph on Vercingetorix's shield to "show them who's boss", and orders Vapus to search Arverne for it. When the initial investigations fail, the Romans send a spy, Legionary Pusillanimus; but on drinking too much wine at Winesanspirix's tavern, the latter discloses Caesar's plan and reveals his own knowledge of the shield's history, whereupon Asterix, Obelix, and Dogmatix set off in search of the shield themselves. To that end, they interrogate the archer, Lucius Circumbendibus, who now owns a wheel manufacturing business; the second legionary, Marcus Carniverus, who worked at a health resort before opening a
restaurant A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...
; and the drunken Centurion Crapulus. Vapus and his men in turn search in vain for both the shield and Asterix and Obelix, as a running gag dirtying themselves with
charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, ca ...
dust while searching the coal heaps belonging to Winesanspirix and their neighbors. The search eventually leads the two Gauls back to Winesanspirix, to whom Crapulus had given the shield in the prologue. Upon the protagonists' reunion with him, Winesanspirix confesses having given the shield to a dispirited Gaulish warrior, who is thereupon identified with the arrival of a newly cured and much slimmer Vitalstatistix. Vitalstatistix reveals he had the shield the whole time and it is the very one he is always carried upon. Upon Caesar's arrival at Gergovia, Asterix and the locals organize a triumph in which Vitalstatistix is carried on Vercingetorix's shield. Caesar then deports Vapus and his troops to
Numidia Numidia was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunisia and Libya. The polity was originally divided between ...
, and Caesar promotes Centurion Crapulus to command of the garrison of Gergovia, and Legionary Pusillanimus to Centurion, on the grounds that they are the only "clean" legionaries present (despite both being visibly drunk). The Gauls return to their village (Vitalstatistix regaining his customary weight at the inns visited earlier in the story) to celebrate; but Vitalstatistix is forced into abstinence from the latter by his wife Impedimenta.


Commentary

*A
running gag A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are no ...
in this book features Vitalstatistix and Winesanspirix falsely claiming "I don't know where Alesia is! No one knows where Alesia is!", as if ashamed at Vercingetorix's defeat. Historically, Alesia's likely location was rediscovered only after this book was published. *The ubiquitous wine-and-coal shops in Gergovie allude to the Bougnats, Arvernian immigrants to Paris operating shops selling wine, wood, and coal. *This book establishes the origin of Vitalstatistix's shield, on which he is customarily carried, as that of
Vercingetorix Vercingetorix (; ; – 46 BC) was a Gauls, Gallic king and chieftain of the Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman Republic, Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. After surrendering to C ...
. *This is one among a minority of Asterix books wherein the bard Cacofonix is not tied up and gagged at – and actively participating in – the feast. *This is the first album wherein Vitalstatistix's wife Impedimenta is named. *The wheel factory is a reference to
Michelin Michelin ( , ), in full ("General Company of the Michelin Enterprises P.L.S."), is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes '' région'' of France. It is the second largest t ...
, based in
Clermont-Ferrand Clermont-Ferrand (, , ; or simply ; ) is a city and Communes of France, commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions of France, region, with a population of 147,284 (2020). Its metropolitan area () had 504,157 inhabitants at the 2018 ...
, or the Gaullish Nemessos. In real life, the main square in Clermont-Ferrand has a statue of
Vercingetorix Vercingetorix (; ; – 46 BC) was a Gauls, Gallic king and chieftain of the Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman Republic, Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. After surrendering to C ...
, as opposed to the statue of Caesar in the book. *In the wheel factory, Obelix shows a desire for business success: a theme later central to '' Obelix and Co.'' *Though Vitalstatistix' hydrotherapy according to the comic book takes place in Aquae Calidae (modern Vichy), the first picture on page 10 alludes to the ''Source Eugénie'' and the thermal building in Royat where the Romans used the thermal springs for hydrotherapy as well. *In the ''Asterix'' books, a map of Gaul bears the caption that 'by 50 B.C. all
Gaul Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...
was occupied by the Romans'; but the historical battle of Alesia took place about the year 52 B.C. It is treated as having occurred at least 15 years before this story; thus placing ''Asterix'' in the mid-30s B.C. (though the historical
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
, a recurring character in these books, had been murdered long before). *In Page 9, Vitalstatistix refers to 1 Timothy 5:23, regarding having a little
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...
for his stomach problems. *This book serves as a loose basis for the
Sega Mega Drive The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Sys ...
video game '' Asterix and the Power of the Gods''. *In most editions of the book, including the original French but excluding the English translation, the Arvernians talk in a dialect where they pronounce each "s" sound as "sh". This is an homage to the dialect spoken in the Auvergne region in France. This is even made fun of when an Arvernian youth pronouncing "s" normally appears, and the other Arvernians comment that he has a lisp.


In other languages

*Arabic: ''أستريكس والترس المختفى'' *Bengali: ''ঢালের খোঁজে অ্যাসটেরিক্স'' *Catalan: ''L'escut arvern'' *Croatian: ''Štit iz Overnje'' *Czech: ''Asterix a Slavný štít'' *Danish: ''Asterix Romernes skræk'' ("Asterix and Obelix, The Scare of the Romans") *Dutch: ''Het ijzeren schild'' ("The iron shield") *Finnish: ''Asterix ja kadonnut kilpi'' ("Asterix and the Missing Shield") *German: ''Asterix und der Arvernerschild'' *Greek: ''Η ασπίδα της Αρβέρνης'' *Hungarian: ''Asterix és az auvergne-i pajzs'' ("Asterix and the Shield of Auvergne") *Italian: ''Asterix e lo scudo degli Arverni'' *Latin: ''Clipeus Arvernus'' *Norwegian: ''Asterix og Obelix, Romernes skrekk!'' ("Asterix and Obelix, The Scare of the Romans") No traditional "Asterix" *Polish: ''Tarcza Arwernów'' *Portuguese: ''O Escudo de Arverne'' *Romanian: ''Asterix și Scutul lui Căpeteniei'' *Russian: ''Астерикс и щит арверна'' *Serbian: ''Štit iz Arvernije'' *Spanish: ''El escudo arverno'' *Swedish: ''Romarnas skräck'' ("The Scare of the Romans") *Turkish: ''Asteriks Galya Kalkanı''


Reception

On
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, it has a score of 4.15 out of 5.


References


External links


Official English Website
{{Asterix, Chieftain's Shield, Asterix and the, type=book, Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield Chieftain's Shield, Asterix and the Works originally published in Pilote Literature first published in serial form 1967 graphic novels Works by René Goscinny Comics by Albert Uderzo Depictions of Julius Caesar in comics Cultural depictions of Vercingetorix