Compare And Contrast The Aeneid And The Odyssey

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We have read two myths of great heroes this semester, Virgil’s The Aeneid and Homer’s The Odyssey. In both of these tales we get to go along with two great heroes on their journey home and all of the troubles that they face. Although these stories tell us about two great heroes and their journey there are a lot of differences. In this paper I will compare and contrast scenes from both myths and suggest a reason that this borrowing was appropriate for what Vergil was trying to do with his version of the myth.
To begin, I will discuss how both heroes have the help of a god or goddess and how both have a god or goddess that is opposed to them. Odysseus has offended Poseidon because he blinded his son that is a Cyclops, Polyphemus, because Odysseus …show more content…

When Odysseus first gets to the Underworld he sees “…the souls of brides and youth and worn-out old men and soft young girls with hearts new to sarrow, and many men wounded with bronze spears...” (159). He sees his friend Elpenor next. Elpenor tells Odysseus that he fell off of Circe’s roof and begs Odysseus to bury him (161-162). Odysseus then sees his mothers spirit and that is how he found out she had passed away. He then sees Theban Tiresias who tells him not to harm any of the cattle or sheep on Thrinacia or they will be harmed. He also says that if any of his men touch the cattle but somehow Odysseus escapes he will find trouble at home. Odysseus will have to kill suitors that took over his home. Tiresias also tells Odysseus to offer a sacrifice to Poseidon, a ram, a bull, and a boar in their prime, when he gets to the land where men know nothing about the sea (161). Next, Odysseus talks his mother who tells him his wife is still in his halls, Telemachus holds his lands, and his father is still alive mourning for him (163). Three times Odysseus tries to embrace his mother and all three times she drifted out of his hands (164). He saw a lot of people he knew, but the next one of his friends he spoke to was Agamemnon. Odysseus asks him what fate he met and Agamemnon responds

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