Comparison Of Virgil s The Aeneid, The Iliad And Homer s...

The idea of destiny or fate is at the heart of most Greek and Roman myths, poems, and stories. It is the ultimate driving force in every person’s life. It is not focused only in a hero or god’s life. Every man, woman, child, and god is effected by destiny. This is an idea that Ancient Greeks and Romans clung to. The idea that no matter what an individual does there is no escaping their true destiny. Every twist and turn taken in life is predestined and the outcome will remain the same. The idea of being able to control one’s own fate is laughed at. This idea of a definite destiny is found in both Virgil’s â€Å"The Aeneid† and Homer’s â€Å"The Odyssey.† Both hero’s lives are shaped by their destiny and it forces them to make difficult decisions. In â€Å"The Odyssey† Homer presents us with an epic hero, Odysseus. A man who fought in the Trojan War and won. All he wants is to return home and be with his family. He was giv en a prophecy by the seer Tiresias, that determined his destiny, and it read: â€Å"’A sweet smooth journey home, renowned Odysseus, that is what you seek but a god will make it hard for you- I know- you will escape the one who shakes the earth, quaking with anger still, still enraged because you blinded the Cyclops, his dear son. Even so, you and your crew may still reach home suffering all the way†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Book 11 lines 111-118).† Odysseus’ goal was to reach home and return to his family, but fate had other plans. He would be derailed and prohibited from returning homeShow MoreRelatedAeneid Analysis789 Words   |  4 PagesAeneid By Virgil Written 19 B.C.E Translated by John Dryden Analysis Jazymn Talley SNHU Analysis The intention of Virgil s poem, Aeneid, is to romanticize the origins of the Roman Empire. Aeneid shares many characteristic to Grecian writer Homer s Epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. Much of Roman culture is modeled after or inspired by the Greeks, especially the arts. Roman art, writings, religion, and celebrations were on the rise as they experienced a time of rest, enabling themRead MoreThe Aeneid By Publius Virgilius Maro1712 Words   |  7 PagesThe Aeneid was written by Publius Virgilius Maro, also referred to as Virgil. He was a Roman man born in northern Italy, in around 70 B.C.E. Virgil, who known for his poetry, especially his earliest work, wrote The Aeneid which was known as his greatest work. His gained his knowledge from studying Greek and Roman authors. Although Virgil studied both cultures his work was more so influenced by the Greek culture, his work was written with the use of common themes that Greek writers used for so manyRead MoreComparison of Homer an d 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 MoreEssay about Epic Conventions Applied in The Faerie Queene1711 Words   |  7 Pagesexistence of the national epic works, English writers feel the lack of epic writer figure such as Homer of Greeks, or Virgil of Latins in their literature and this obligates them to focus on writing in epic genre and this need causes them to complain about this absence more frequently. For instance, Edmund Spenser claims in one of his pastoral, The Shepheardes Calender, as if a poet wants to be master in poetry, s/he has to abandon writing the basic forms of poetry such as pastoral and has to write an epic