Saturday, January 26, 2008




There are many similarities, as well as differences between the Odyssey and the Aeneid. There are obvious, and not so obvious similarities and differences.


One similarity in the Aeneid is that in the beginning the narrator calls upon a Muse (Dryden 73), and in the beginning of the Odyssey the narrator calls upon a Muse as well (Rieu 3). Another similarity would be that both Aeneas and Odysseus shed tears when they hear of the stories about them. However Aeneas saw his story in an artwork. Odysseus was in the Trojan war, as was Aeneas, so as you can see both of these stories took place after the Trojan war.


There are also some differences in these stories. For instance, Aeneas fought on the Trojan side in the war, and Odysseus fought for the Greeks. The object of both journeys were very different. While Odysseus wants to go home, Aeneas is searching for the location of the city he was destined to find. The goals of their journeys are different.



Both tales were written by different people, the Aeneid was written by Virgil and the Odyssey by Homer. Virgil was a Roman and Homer was a Greek. Aeneas was the perfect hero for Virgil to use as a lend to found the city of Rome.


The Aeneid and the Odyssey have many things in common, as well as many things that are not as similar. Some of the similar and not so similar things are a little more obvious than others.


Dryden, John. Virgil's Aeneid. New York: P. F. Collier &Son Corporation,
1937.

Rieu, E. V, and Riu D. C. H. Homer the Odyssey. England: Clays Ltd, St Ives plc,
1946.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Two Myths of Rome's foundation

The two myths surrounding the founding of Rome are Romulus and Remus and the legend of Aeneas. The myth with Romulus and his brother Remus involves a wolf. The legend with Aeneas makes the Battle of Troy very important to Rome's founding.


The legend of Romulus and
Remus is said to have taken place when,the god, Mars,had an affair with the vestal virgin, Rhea Silvia, who gave birth to twins (Romulus and Remus). Both twins were boys. However when Rhea Silvia's father found out he had her thrown into the Tiber River. The twins' fate was very different, however. They were put in a reed basket and then the basket was put into the Tiber River to be carried away by the waters and to meet their own fate. (source)


Once the twins landed ashore they were found by a female wolf, who gave the infants nourishment for a little while. They were later found and adopted by a farmer who raised them in his home with his wife, Acca Larentia. When the twins were adults they made a city on the place they had been rescued next to the Tiber River, after killing their grandfather (Zoch 10)
. Romulus and Remus couldn't figure out who would rule the city as king, so they looked for signs from the gods. Romulus saw twelve vultures and Remus saw six. The brothers argued and eventually Remus was killed by his brother. Romulus named the city Rome (Zoch 11). In this myth Romulus and Remus are the ones who set up the city of Rome (Nardo 114).


The other founding legend involves Aeneas and the burning of Troy, from which he carried his father and led his son out by the hand, with his wife trailing the three. The Trojans who could get out went with Aeneas and his family. However while escaping he lost his wife and once he went back for her, she was not to be found. He and his company went to mount Ida where they made ships and then set sail to find the place he was to call home. Aeneas faced many hardships and dangers, he was even told that he would find the place when his men were so famished that they would start consuming their own plates.


On his journey Aeneas lands in Carthage where he meets Queen Dido. They both fall in love with each other. However, when the gods remind Aeneas of his quest, and he leaves Carthage leaving Dido to commit suicide. When Aeneas and his men sailed to the Tiber River they had a meal using flat bread as plates, and the men were so hungry they consumed the plates as well. Then Aeneas' son, Iulus said that the prophecy had been fulfilled. However, there was already a city in that place and war broke out between the Trojans and the Latins, which ended in victory for the Trojans.


The two myths surrounding the founding of Rome are Romulus and Remus and the legend of Aeneas. The myth of Romulus and Remus involves Remus' death (Zoch 11) and the legend with Aeneas deals with another city being conquered.


Nardo, Don. Living in Ancient Rome. Michigan: Greenhaven Press,
2004.

Zoch A., Paul. Ancient Rome: An Introductory History. Oklahoma Press: Norman, 1998.