Odysseus And Aeneas Similarities - 922 Words

Katelin Haines Mrs. Howard ENG 223 15 October 2017 The Differences and Similarities between Odysseus and Aeneas â€Å"Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man †¦ the wanderer (Lawall and Mack 225). This is from the first stanza of book one of The Odyssey by Homer; it is an epic Greek poem written in the eighth century B.C. Hundreds of years later, Virgil wrote The Aeneid, the Roman epic, around 19 B.C. It was inspired by Homer’s works. This is easy to see not only in writing style, but by the similarities of the two main characters, the wanderers, of The Odyssey and The Aeneid: Odysseus and Aeneas respectively. There are also differences throughout the stories that the poets use to emphasize different characteristics.†¦show more content†¦Homer wants Odysseus to be without any family on his journey, so he can find his way home to them; this gives him the characteristic of a caring father. Whereas, Virgil is able to give Aeneas a stronger quality of a father who would do anything for his child. Next, Odysseus and Aeneas share similarities and differences in the journeys they are on—where they begin, where they go, and why. Both of their adventures are long and include many stops. They both begin in Troy (for different reasons) and eventually reach their destinations. The main difference is why they are on their journeys. Odysseus is trying to return home to Ithaka after the Trojan Wars where he has fought to overtake Troy. Aeneas is trying to find a new home in Italy after the Trojan Wars because his home was Troy, and it has been destroyed, â€Å"From the sea-coast of Troy in early days He came to Italy by destiny† (Lawall and Mack 1055). Odysseus makes it home to Ithaka, and Aeneas is able to finally make it to Italy. Odysseus has been away from home for twenty years; Homer makes his journey long, and it gives him the characteristic of determination; all those years, Odysseus never gives up, and he perseveres until he is home. Virgil’s hero is on hi s journey because hisShow MoreRelatedSimilarities and Differences in the Aeneid and the Odyssey.1418 Words   |  6 Pagesheroes –Odysseus and Aeneas, as they struggle towards their goal through the crises and deadly situations caused by the wrath of the gods upon them. In the Odyssey, we see that Poseidon (god of the sea/earth shaker) has a grudge against Odysseus while Athena, god of wisdom, aids him throughout his journey. Similarly in the Aeneid, we see that goddess Juno dislikes Aeneas as he is destined to destroy the city of Carthage loved by Juno during his mission to find a new land- Rome, whereas Aeneas’ motherRead MoreVirgil vs. Homer in Underworld1569 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ How does Virgil deviate from Homer in the underworld, and why? 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Today992 Words   |  4 PagesWhile the depictions of what hell or heaven may be from the ancient times and now, what has stayed consist is the idea of an afterlife altogether. In The Aeneid, Aeneas has his own version of what the underworld is. Hell is depicted in Book VI of The Aeneid where the Trojans sail back to Sicily where the death of Anchises is marked. Aeneas enters the underworld after meeting with Sibyl, who is a priestess at the Temple of Apollo and asks to enter so that he can visit his father. In order to enter and