Virgili and Homer

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Recommended: The Odyssey compared to the Aeneid

The Virgilis Aeneid and the Odyssey are ancient poems. The first thing to keep in mind is that the two epics are written from two opposing points of view: the victorious Greeks (for Homer) and the defeated Trojans (Virgil) who are destined to become united. The Virgilis Aeneid follows a legend of the Aeneas from the impeding last days of Troy to the Aenaes’ Victory. It also reflects on the synthesis of the Trojans and the Latinos to be united. On the other hand, the Odyssey talks of the Greek respected hero Odysseus and the long journey to his home with the impeding collapse of Troy. As a result, this paper bit by bit tries to compare and contrast various aspects of the two poems. More evident is the use of book six of the Aeneid and Book eleven of the Odyssey.

The Book six of the Aeneid is one of the most interesting passages of this poem. Finally the Trojan sets foot at the shore in Italy. In respect of her father’s commands Aeneid decides to go the temple of Apollo. It is within these confines that he is introduced to a priestess called Sibyl. Apparently the priestess warns them of awaiting trials likely to be faced in Italy. These passages in the poem contributed largely to the profession of Virgilis to the status of an Adored Christian prophet of the middle ages.

In the fourteenth century a renowned Italian rhymester or poet called Dante emerged. He used this book six as a journey through hell in the poem inferno. In the same technique as Virgilis, Dante was able to come up with different designs of hell in which greater and severe punishment and sentences were beheld on those individuals who committed greater seasons. In this passage it is evident that Dante exercised his imagination and invention to come up with stri...

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...nly, these creatures are living out of their own punishments and misery merely for their own benefit. Even if seen by Odysseus, they are portrayed as not being as distinctive the way that Virgil's figures are. In the Virgilian Hades, by comparison, the tormented souls turn out to be more disgraceful by their revelation to the public. In this regard the punishment is not taken as an individual trial but also as a public warning to others with the same intentions. In conclusion the depiction of the Underworld portrayed by Virgil has possessing a lot of virtues of a nightmare portray a sentiment of inevitability and fatalism in the torments described.

Bibliography

Reiu, D. Introduction to the Odyssey. New York. Penguin, 2003

Maronis, P. Vergili. Mynors, (ed), Opera, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1969

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