Virgil s Aeneid And Homer s Odyssey - 1436 Words

In Virgil’s Aeneid and Homer’s Odyssey we observe two opposing views, the defeat of the Trojans and the victorious Greeks. Nevertheless, we get parallel plots in the form of the hero’s journey. Each hero faces many obstacles to reach their fate. With both heroes having the ultimate goal of reaching their homeland or in Aeneas’ case finding a new home. There are many similarities such as both Odysseus and Aeneas sailing the same sea, and visiting some of the same location such as; the underworld, and the Island of the Cyclopes. In both the epics, the gods play with the characters in some of the same ways. They often send the heroes to the brink of death or in other cases give them aid. Virgil’s depiction of Aeneas is meant to show the†¦show more content†¦The Romans put duty above all else. In that sense, with Virgil portrayal of the Romans, we get a feeling that he thinks the Romans are above the Greeks. This portrayal is shown in the ep ics through Aeneas’ sense of duty and Odysseus’ self-interest. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is only fighting to get home while Aeneas is fighting for the future and the continuation of the Trojan legacy. Aeneas purpose is reinforced when he visits his father in the underworld â€Å"What glories follow Dardan generations in after years, and from Italian blood what famous children in your line will come, souls of the future, living in our name† (The Aeneid). This gives Aeneas clarity and he continues the fight for the advancement of his people. Throughout his journey, Odysseus involves himself in many conflicts just to achieve glory. Although in hindsight most of his troubles could have been easily avoided. Odysseus could have avoided trouble if he had kept quiet after his ordeal with the cyclops. In allowing his pride to get the better of him Odysseus sealed his fate. If he had refrained from telling the cyclops who he was perhaps his story would have been less tragic. One of Odysseus’ major flaw is his pride. He just had to have the cyclops know. If he hadn’t given up the name to Polyphemus, in his vengeance would not have called out to Poseidon his father. Odysseus’ pride and need of glory show up many times in the epic. For instance, after heShow MoreRelatedHomer s The Odyssey And Virgil s ÂÅ ¹ The Aeneid1295 Words   |  6 PagesHomer’s The Odyssey and Virgil’s  ¬The Aeneid are both epic poems chronicling the travels and trials of their respective heroes. Though both stori es deal with the fates of their leading men, Homer employs the use of hubris with his protagonist, Odysseus, while Virgil utilizes the trait of pietas with his protagonist, Aeneas. A comparative analysis of the heroes in their reactions to the mythical creatures they encounter, their relationships with the women they love, and their ultimate purposes inRead MoreSimilarities Between The Underworld Of Homer s Odyssey And That Of Virgil s Aeneid1485 Words   |  6 PagesThe remarkable resemblance between the Underworld of Homer s Odyssey and that of Virgil s Aeneid reveals, upon closer examination, several important differences; these adaptations and corrections by Virgil of the Homeric vision lend credence to the Bloomian concept of influence, and show the many-faceted reactions of Virgil to the burden of his eminent precursor. In addition, they provide the reader of the poems with a fascinating basis for comparison, not only between the two poets, but betweenRead MoreComparing Virgi l s Aeneid And Homer s Odyssey2766 Words   |  12 PagesJourney, fate, conflict and divine intervention demonstrate the morals and ideas of the age and cultures in which both Virgil and Homer lived. The lives of the main characters, Odysseus and Aeneas must fulfill their destiny with direct interference from the Gods and Goddesses. With the gods and goddess not always sharing the same motives or best interest of the main character would make the journey to achieve their destiny extremely difficult. The gods and goddess can be vengeful just as much asRead MoreComparison Of Virgil s The Aeneid, The Iliad And Homer s `` The Odyssey `` Essay1155 Words   |  5 Pagespredestined and the outcome will remain the same. The idea of being able to control one’s own fate is laughed at. This idea of a definite destiny is found in both Virgil’s â€Å"The Aeneid† and Homer’s â€Å"The Odyssey.† Both hero’s lives are shaped by their destiny and it forces them to make difficult decisions. In â€Å"The Odyssey† Homer presents us with an epic hero, Odysseus. A man who fought in the Trojan War and won. All he wants is to return home and be with his family. He was given a prophecy by the seerRead MoreAeneid Analysis789 Words   |  4 PagesAeneid By Virgil Written 19 B.C.E Translated by John Dryden Analysis Jazymn Talley SNHU Analysis The intention of Virgil s poem, Aeneid, is to romanticize the origins of the Roman Empire. Aeneid shares many characteristic to Grecian writer Homer s Epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. Much of Roman culture is modeled after or inspired by the Greeks, especially the arts. Roman art, writings, religion, and celebrations were on the rise as they experienced a time of rest, enabling themRead MoreGreek Mythology1294 Words   |  6 Pages Required Texts: 1) Aeschylus, Oresteia, trans. C. Collard (Oxford World s Classics) 2) Euripides, Bacchae, trans. Paul Woodruff (Hackett) 3) Hesiod, Works and Days and Theogony, trans. Stanley Lombardo (Hackett) 4) Homer, The Iliad, trans. Robert Fitzgerald (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux) 5) Homer, The Odyssey, trans. Robert Fitzgerald (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux) 6) Virgil, The Aeneid, trans. R. Fitzgerald (Vintage, 1990) Lectures: Tuesdays and Thursdays CLH LRead MoreComparing The Underworld Of Homer And Virgil1744 Words   |  7 PagesThe Differing Views of the Underworld of Homer and Virgil In both Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid, the heroes make the dauntless adventure into the underworld. Both of theses visits occur around the middle of the stories, and they bring information about the lives of heroes loved ones. The heroes also get very important information from these loved ones; information that they require to continue on their journeys. However these are not the only things that are similar about the heroes visitsRead MoreGreek Epics873 Words   |  4 Pagessociety conditions and the civilization of that history period. Homer; the authors of The Iliad and The Odyssey; and Vergil; the authors of The Aeneid are two of the greatest writers in ancient western civilization. There are heroes in these three literatures to reflect the society and culture: Achilles, Odysseus and Aeneid. The Iliad and the Odyssey are two of the oldest ancient literatures by Homer in around 8th century B.C. (Homer, 2012). According to Redfield (1975), â€Å"the culture portrayedRead MoreVirgil vs. Homer in Underworld1569 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ How does Virgil deviate from Homer in the underworld, and why? When comparing â€Å"The Aeneid† to â€Å"The Odyssey†, it is impossible not to notice the similarity between Homer and Virgil s poems. Both heroes leave Troy, granted one barely escapes and the other leaves victoriously, and both in one sense or the other are trying to reach their home, whether it is the old or future home. The adventures of the two heroes are incredibly similar on a number of accounts with the trip to the underworld beingRead MoreOdyssey And Aeneid, Hermes And Mercury1761 Words   |  8 PagesIn Odyssey and Aeneid, Hermes and Mercury represent similar perceptions of love along with differing belief concerning obligation to the Voice of God. Homer and Virgil think compulsion and love do connect. Homer thinks that despite the fact the gods constantly get their way, human can resist. On the other hand, Virgil believes humans should always get orders from the immortals. One can compare Homer and Virgil s famous narrative of love. However, In today s culture still question the unquestionability