Greek and Roman culture in Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aenied

Both Homer and Virgil were great writers who wrote about the same war from two different perspectives. Because both writers came from two different backgrounds, Homer being Greek and Virgil being Roman, their culture became the theme of the epic heroes journey as warrior being either Greek or Roman.

The Odyssey, written by Homer, is a heroic tale about the adventures of Odysseus in his pursuit of returning home to his wife. The Aeneid, written by Virgil, is also a heroic tale about the escapade Aeneas endures while in pursuit of finding Rome. When comparing and contrasting both epics, one must first explore the protagonists and their culture. Within the Greek culture physical and military strength as well as fighting for oneself, mainly for personal satisfaction, are highly favored and is seen evidently within Odysseus’ role. He possesses the endurance, nobility, and desire for glory of a true Greek warrior. His acute mind helps him solve his most difficult challenges while his good deeds and triumphant battles earn him immense respect amongst the Greek gods. However Odysseus’ attitude is continuously being shaped by his culture and subjects him to having a tragic flaw. Odysseus’ tragic flaw is his constant search for glory, Even though he rules his own homeland, he is still in search for a more profound glory of all lands. This flaw gets in the way of his ultimate goal of returning home to his family and kingdom. Odysseus’ flaw also greatly affects his personality. It causes him to appear prideful and/or conceited. His hubris seems to command respect from people rather than earning it. It is not that he is totally arrogant; it is the glorification and the praise he wants to receive. His behavior furthermore explains why the...

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...fe and the escapade to prove himself worthy. Homer presumably suggests, an individual can only reach his or her goals through hardships, because strength is the key element o uplifting anyone out of their troubling situations. Indeed, Odysseus has established himself , but the gods intercede and toss him a new expedition or adversity with the intention of increasing Odysseus’ greatness. According to Roberts, “The Odyssey not only became the first documents of Greek self-consciousness, but the embodiment of the fundamental values of classical civilization. Later, they were to even become more than this: together with the Bible, they became the source of western literature.”

Furthermore, the classical world the Odyssey portrays makes a myriad of contributions to the growth of science, literature, and ethics. These contributions have inspired the modern world today.