Comparing the Leadership Abilities of Odysseus in Odyssey and Aeneas in Aeneid
These two heroes have embarked from the same destination but on very different journeys. Whilst they are both Iliadic heroes at the start of their stories, they develop and adapt their manner towards the characteristics required of them to succeed. Before we judge them, it is necessary to determine our definition of a successful leader. A hero from the Iliad must be "a speaker of words and one who is accomplished in action", according to the horseman Phoinix (Iliad.9.413). A leader must have these primary qualities then, as he must lead by example, but to create the ideal we must add to this. The leader should rely on no others but in turn listen to sound counsel. He should be fair in his justice, in control of his situation and surroundings, keep his men abreast of the plan of action and reasoning behind it, remain calm under pressure and have compassion and understanding for his people. Thus his primary concerns should be the welfare of his people, their security and maintaining peace at all costs. His men, a good indicator of his leadership to us, should therefore give him loyalty, trust, and obedience, if the leader has led them suitably. The performance of the men is also important, and what they achieve under his direction is representative of his strength of leadership, though this must be compared with how they act without his presence. These measures can be seen as the important assets of a competent leader, though extenuating and uncontrollable circumstances must be taken into account, as we make a sound judgement of our two heroes.
Aeneas and Odysseus themselves are different, both in character and in their q...
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...rvival. However, Aeneas becomes the Virgilian leader, his concern is always for the people and they are the most important thing to him. The reason that the endings of the books are so dissimilar and the Aenied is far less satisfying than the Odyssey is a result of this point. Odysseus' accomplished aim can be viewed within his lifetime, and listened to within a short time. His short-term goal of going to bed with Penelope, and sorting out the situation in his country is all seen within the borders of the story. Aeneas' ending merely means that his journey is at an end but the rest of the story lies with his people. The emphasis is on the people he is leading and not what he individually has accomplished.
Works Cited:
Homer. Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. NY: Penguin Books, 1990.
Virgil, Aeneid. Trans. Allen Mandelbaum. New York: Bantam, 1991.
In Aeschylus’ Libation Bearers, Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War and Aristophanes’ Lysistrata contained strong Leadership and commitment to their fellow citizens. Each one of these works had a different view on issues which affected them during that time. Common motifs, themes and events had occurred; however some differ within these works. Leadership was considered power and strength at that time, all three of these works present strong arguments by leaders who were trying to make a difference.
In any demesne, an intricate relationship exists between strength, wisdom, and order. In the Bible, Solomon’s combination of wisdom and strength provides order in his kingdom. This same relationship holds true for the cosmos in Greek mythology. Recognizing the need to combine his strength with wisdom Zeus took as his first wife Metis, “wisest of all, of gods and men”(Theogony 888). And, when Metis was about to give birth, Zeus “deceived her mind / ...and thrust her down / into his belly” (Theogony 890-92). When he consumes Metis, Zeus embodies wisdom in unity with his strength, birthing order into the cosmos. Order is impossible without strength and wisdom. Odysseus possesses cunning and strength, but he has forgotten the importance of order,
Aeneas also went to fight in the Trojan War. He also was a national hero. He was a great warrior. Both Odysseus and Aeneas were trying to head home.
The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer, has many characters, but the main character is Odysseus, king of Ithaca and hero of the Trojan War. Odysseus is a strong character and is protected by the Greek goddess, Athena. The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus, great journey home from the Trojan Was, but he makes many decisions that many people today consider unjust or unethical.(Encyclopedia Britannica) He makes these decisions all in the effort to get home, and in self defense. That is why Odysseus’ actions make him a primarily moral and ethical driven character, rather than a political and power driven character.
Odysseus is a bad leader for the traits he upheld in the book which causes him twenty years to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan war. The three traits that makes Odysseus a bad leader are being dishonest, prideful, and careless. These traits causes his men to die, him suffering, and trouble. The trait of Odysseus being dishonest is a factor of why Odysseus is a bad leader. Odysseus is meeting with Tiresias (a blind prophet) to learn his future. In the future, Odysseus will be presented with two obstacles, going through Scylla (6 headed monster) or Charybdis (a giant whirlpool). Tiresias tells Odysseus to pick the path of Scylla, his exact words were “to have passed her without loss and grief; she takes from every ship, one man for every gullet.” Tiresias is telling Odysseus to choose the path of Scylla because that path will only result in
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The two epics occur sequentially and have intertwined plots. Since the start of the Iliad there has been a ceaseless conflict. Our two main heroes, Achilles and Odysseus, have been fighting and experiencing death through the Trojan War, and trying to make their way home. Now, finally, there is a pause - a moment of peace. Achilles has earned his kleos through the Trojan War, and Odysseus has earned his nostos through his homecoming. This final book reinforces that idea and sums it all up together. At the end of the Iliad of course we knew that Achilles was to be immortalized through it, but we did not know his final fate. This is told to us more so and given closure when the Achilles and Agamemnon argue over one another’s death. Here also we learn about Achilles’ funeral, literally and figuratively closing the book on him as a hero. The story is summed up for Odysseus as well in this key book. He is now back to his prior social standing, has defeated the threats of the suitors, and no longer has to dress up like a beggar. Odysseus has seen his son, his wife, and now his father, arguably the three most important people to him, and has reclaimed his identity. The question of the angry families of the suitors is answered and ultimately all is well. For the first time in two epic poems, and more than a decade, there is not some huge
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Developing your ability to work with adults as part of a team is a key
Odysseus and Aeneas are very alike in some ways and very different. They are both epic heroes except that one is Greek and the other is a Trojan. Odysseus is from the Greek tale The Oddessy, which was written by the famous Greek poet Homer. His quest is to find his way back home after a long journey. Aeneas is from the roman tale The Aenied, written by Virgil a famous Roman poet. Aeneas’s mission is to find a new home for him and his family. Both these characters had many similarities and differences in their ways of fighting.
In Virgil’s The Aeneid, there are many parallels found in Homer’s The Odyssey. In each epic, the heroes, Aeneas and Odysseus, are on a journey “home.” Aeneas is on the search of a new home for he and his companions to settle since Troy has been destroyed, Odysseus on the other hand is attempting to return to his home he left years earlier to fight the Trojan War. They both have Gods against them and helping them, both Aeneas and Odysseus are both held back by women, both voluntary and involuntarily, and they both have experiences visiting the Underworld. Despite these similarities, there are differences between the two characters and it reflects their values and the society they live in. Aeneas relies on his strength as a warrior, where as Odysseus uses his deception to survive which reflects how Aeneas is truly Roman is versus Greek.
The Factors that Affect the Rate of Breakdown of the Protein Gelatine by Trypsin Aim To investigate factors that affects the rate of breakdown of the protein gelatine by trypsin. Key Factors: Possible factors that I could change- pH- Different types of enzyme work best at different pH level. The best pH level for an enzyme to be effective depends on its site of action.
Hector is the true hero of Homer's Iliad. Although Achilles and Hector are both leaders of men, Hector leads with a mature sense that gives his men reason to respect him. In turn, Hector respects his men which gives fulfillment to both parties. Hector is not a man to sit around and mull over strategies and ideas - Hector is a man of action. His men are inspired to fight because they see their captain fighting as well.
In the poem, Iliad, Achilles and Hector both show relative heroism in their own different ways. Achilles may have been the more popular hero, but Hector had great heroism as well. Each of these characters possess their own different strengths and weaknesses. These two characters both have pride as being one of their main weaknesses. Hector seems as if he would suit best in the modern world, but there are a few different reasons as to why the ancients may have chose Achilles. Hector and Achilles both lost a lot by letting their pride get in the way of their heroism. Both of these characters were their country’s best warrior. Achilles and Hector have very different personalities, and very different ways of approaching situations.
The door creaked open as the young boy stepped out but was quickly slammed shut by the viscous wind the noise echoed through the hills disturbing some pigeons roosting in the near by trees. The moon was illuminating the night sky with a milky glow which illuminated all land creating large disturbing shadows. The trees bent in submission to the howling wind which forced their branches to brush along the ground sweeping the dust away from the track. The solitary building which could barely be described as a house stood alone and solitary on the hillside. The walls were crumbling from the water logged plaster and only one window still contained a pain of glass.