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Aeneid Vs Achilles Research Paper

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Imagine one hero being immortalized as a renowned hero for committing unrighteous acts, whereas another more righteous hero is not praised as much as the other. In ancient literature such as the Aeneid and the Iliad, the heroes are displayed in a good light. In the Iliad, Achilles is shown to be an excellent warmongering hero. Whereas, in the Aeneid, Aeneas is shown as a great and devout man. Aeneas is a better depicted hero than Achilles in literature because he is shown to be more dutiful, loving, and caring for his people - unlike the ruthless Achilles. Would an actual hero let his people be slaughtered by the enemy for personal gain? Achilles is publicly shamed by Agamemnon, and is stopped by Minerva when he almost kills him. So, in a …show more content…

that’s left of my people whom I cherish.’ (Virgil, 4.426-427). Aeneas is the better hero because he protected his own people from his lover, Dido. Speaking of supposed lovers, would a great hero consider their woman as just a prize? Achilles gets his woman, Briseis, taken away from him by Agamemnon, thus shaming him and causing the slaughter of the Achaeans. But, her getting taken is not what boils his blood, the humiliation from Agamemnon is what enrages him. It says, “ … His heart inflamed for the sashed and lovely girl they’d wrenched away from him against his will.” (Homer, 1.512-513). There is no mention of missing or loving Briseis, just that she was taken from him - shaming him. Conversely, Aeneas values and actually loves his woman, Queen Dido. Aeneas, being a duty bound man, has to leave Dido to fulfill the gods’ will. Telling Dido that he has to leave, and having her not react so well, it says, “Strongly as he longs to ease and allay her sorrow, speak to her, turn away her anguish with reassurance, still, moaning deeply, heart shattered by his great love, in spite of all he obeys the gods’ commands and back he goes to his ships.” (Virgil, 4.494-500). The text says that Aeneas is devastated from hurting Dido, and it clearly states that he loves her greatly, which is unlike Achilles and

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