Comparative Analysis Of Homer’s And Virgil’s Works

“Greece, sound, thy Homer's, Rome thy Virgil's name…”(Milton 16). Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid were important books to the cultures of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. Homer and Virgil were both classical poets and authors who utilized various techniques to enrapture their audiences with tales of monsters, heroes, and maidens. Homer wrote Iliad and Odyssey in the 8th century BC and Virgil wrote the Aeneid in the 1st century BC (D'emilio). Homer and Virgil’s works can be compared on the basis of their writing structure and purpose, depiction of the underworld and through their views and inclusion of war. Homer and Virgil’s works can be analyzed through their structure as well as their purposes. Homer writes Iliad and Odyssey as epic poems (Hirsch 208).

An epic poem is a long poem that includes significant cultural aspects, stylized language, wonderful adventures, and superhuman acts (Hirsch 208). Homer used Dactylic Hexameter, a poetic meter, to write both the Iliad and Odyssey (Hirsch 218). Dactylic Hexameter has an alternating pattern of one long syllable and two short syllables (Hirsch 281). Virgil also writes an epic poem, titled the Aeneid. The Aenied was meant to mimic the style of Homer so, Virgil writes his book in Dactylic Hexameter (Kerns 37). Virgil and Homer both used epic poetry and Dactylic Hexameter but, the two authors differed on their purposes for writing their books.

Homer’s main goal was to unite the states together. Greece was separated into many city states that were constantly fighting so, in order to unite them together, the Iliad was written (Kelly 971). Homer used the books of Iliad and Odyssey to help the people realize that they should be united not torn apart. The Iliad and Odyssey helped to unite the Greek city states because, the books used examples of the city states working together and achieving much, it established that all of the Greeks had common culture, and it established values such as Xenia (being hospitable as a guest and host) to show that the city states should treat one another kindlier (Homer 102). Virgil’s main goal on the other hand was to politically influence Rome (Murphy 170). Careful reading of the Aeneid makes the political bend prominent. Virgil wrote to emphasize and legitimize Augustus as leader of Rome (Murphy 169). Virgil even makes direct mention of Augustus and his future power in the underworld scene. “He will extend his power beyond the Garamants and Indians, over far territories north and south of the zodiacal stars, the solar way, where Atlas, heaven-bearing, on his shoulder turns the night-sphere, studded with burning stars.

At that man’s coming even now the realms of Caspia and Maeotia tremble. . . ” (Homer 160) Virgil also connects Aeneas to Augustus establishing that Augustus was related to a goddess. While Virgil’s poetry mimics Homer in the use of Dactylic Hexameter, they had very different purposes in mind. Homer and Virgil are also comparable in use of the underworld. Homer sets the underworld up as a place you go after death. In his story there are many people in the underworld and all of them are supposed to be dead. In Odyssey, Odyseeus makes a trip to the underworld and is unable to touch any of the deceased because they have left their physical bodies (Homer 164). Virgil continues the idea of a visitable place called the underworld and the idea that the deceased have left their physical bodies (Virgil 154). Homer’s Odyssey portrays the underworld and death as horrible and undesirable; one chapter is spent discussing the people rather than including information about the place (Homer 161-176).

One person Odysseus talked to was Achilles, a man who spent his whole life chasing after personal glory and gain. When talking to Odysseus, Achilles tells of how he regrets his life and wishes that in his life he did not spend his time chasing after personal glory as a lion chases tasty prey (Homer 172). Virgil on the other hand portrays the underworld as something that should be desired if you have a pious life, and introduces the concept of work equals reward. Piety can be defined as being devout, reverent, or religious. Virgil uses the underworld to mention Augustus’ birth and the great things that will happen (Homer 160). Virgil makes Aeneas out to be better than Odysseus, further adding glory to Augustus’ name because of the established line between Aeneas and Augustus.

Virgil does this by establishing the “pass” of the golden branch, the gate to exit the underworld, and Aeneas being brave in the face of monsters even if they are hollow (Homer 136, Homer 140, Homer 134). While both Homer and Virgil introduce the underworld as the afterlife for spirits visitable by mortals, Homer sees living a pious life in search of a good afterlife as an awful idea and Virgil thinks that piety is the better option. Virgil also uses this time to make the case that Augustus is deserved of his title while Homer doesn’t really improve the standing of Odysseus that much. Homer and Virgil can also be observed through their stories of war. For Homer the story that was primarily about battle was Iliad. Homer’s war story takes up a significant amount of writing space and ends with a battle between two heroes. Iliad follows Achilles as he makes his journey from a superhuman state, to a subhuman state, and then finally to a human state. The entirety of the book tells the tale of the Trojan war and, Achilles being the greatest weapon Greece has, the book primarily focuses around him. The book finally reaches a climax when Achilles and Hector, the Trojan hero, fight, and Achilles wins. Virgil writes of the founding of Rome with the second portion of the Aeneid mirroring Iliad in the sense that there is a great war taking place that ends with a fight between two heroes (Virgil 338-340). Aeneas, the Trojan Hero and future founder of Rome, and Turnus, the king of the Rutulians,fight, and Aeneas wins (Virgil 340).

While Homer and Virgil’s basic structure of war may be similar their idea of war was different. Homer idealizes war by making the cost of war look light (in comparison to the Aeneid) with Patroclus being the only major death. The focus on obtaining the spoils of war, the use of poetic language to make war seem fantastical, and the point of view from the winning side, all contribute to the feeling that war is not that bad. Virgil on the other hand is more realistic and accurate with his depiction of war. Virgil seems to focus on the gore of the war and this makes the losses be felt so much more than in Iliad. Homer and Virgil used war as major portions that contributed to important plot elements, but Homer viewed war with a much higher regard than Virgil did. Homer and Virgil are both great ancient poetry writers. Virgil used the Iliad and Odyssey as inspiration for the Aeneid, so the three are very similar in element and structure. But while Virgil and Homer may have used many of the same elements and structures, they differed on their purposes and views. Homer and Virgil wished to show different ideas through their stories and it is up to the reader to decide which author they agree with more.