Aeneid and Odyssey - A Comparison between Aeneas,...

Aeneid and Odyssey - A Comparison between Aeneas, Achilles and Odysseus A comparison between Virgils hero, Aeneas, and the Homeric heroes, Achilles and Odysseus, brings up the question concerning the relevance of the difference between the Homeric heroes and Aeneas. The differences in the poets concerns are explained by the fact that Virgil lived many years after Homer, giving Virgil the advantage of a more developed literary and philosophical society than Homer had at his disposal. But the question remains: how are the differences between the Homeric heroes and Aeneas relevant to the epic at large? This question will be answered by first pointing out the differences between Greek and Roman society, then explaining†¦show more content†¦The individualistic nature of Greek society is further reflected in their war strategies. The Greek city-states would fight individually unless another city-state could find sufficient benefit in joining the war. In contrast Rome did not have the geological barriers that Greece had. Therefore, under the Roman system, cities answered to a central government that was chosen by the citizens. The fact that Romans had to elect senators gave citizens the need for a unified and participant society. The Roman war strategies were also more unified than the Greek strategies, thus, ensuring their success. Aside from these physical differences, there is a difference in the goals between the Greeks and the Romans. In the first case what concerns the Greek city-states is limited to self-preservation if not individual fame and success. The Romans, on the other hand, were concerned with the success of the country as a whole; they knew that if the whole was successful, then the individual parts would also benefit. In the same way that Greek society valued rugged individualism rather than the Roman sense of community, so did Achilles and Odysseus values differ from those of Aeneas. The Homeric heroes had more self-centered values and their goals were less weighty than Aeneas. The individualism of Achilles and Odysseus is apparent primarily in their battle scenes. While Achilles andShow MoreRelatedThe Aeneid: Virgils Heroic Underworld Essay3214 Words   |  13 Pagesclear when reading the Aeneid that Virgil was familiar with the earlier works of Homer, The Iliad and The Odyssey. Virgil, more than just being aware of these earlier works, uses themes and ideas from these poems in his own. Far more than just copying scenes and ideas, Virgil expands and alters these themes to better tell his story, unique from the Greek originals he is drawing from. Virgil reveals what qualities he regards as heroic through the juxtaposition of Aeneas’ character and the negativeRead MoreSimilarities B etween The Underworld Of Homer s Odyssey And That Of Virgil s Aeneid1485 Words   |  6 Pagesresemblance 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 between their charactersRead MoreComparison of Homer and Virgil’s Tragic Hero1908 Words   |  8 PagesComparison of Homer and Virgil’s Tragic Hero Homer, an ancient Greek epic poet, influenced many writers in the ancient Greek and Roman culture, particularly Virgil. Virgil, most famous for his epic poem The Aeneid demonstrates Homer’s influence through similar characters, mythology, and ideals. Homer in both his most famous works the Iliad and The Odyssey weaves poetry based on centuries worth of oral stories handed down and uses a sophisticated style of writing that is still recognized todayRead MoreThe New Hero of Aeneas Essay2008 Words   |  9 PagesThe New Hero of Aeneas Can myopia afflict an individual with so severe a malady to the extreme of proclaiming, If you take from Vergilius his diction and metre, what do you leave him? Unless we take this statement as a neophyte joke, we may not be able to continue. The objective of this essay is to clean the bifocals of those whom I presumed after reading the Aeneid as a botched-up replica of the Iliad and the Odyssey conclude that it is indeed so and go about perpetuating such calumny