odyssey and aeneid
odyssey and aeneidThe Odyssey’s book 11 and the Aeneid’s book 6 are very similar. In both of these books, the main character (Odysseus and Aeneas) is trying to get home. Odysseus is trying to get back to his home in Ithaca. While Aeneas is going to Italy to build a new home. On their way home both of them go to the underworld to seek advice. There Odysseus receives advice that he will reach home alone, if he does as directed. Aeneas is also told that he will reach home but with his crew. There Aeneas shall settle and build a home for his future heirs.
In the Odyssey, Odysseus crosses the Oceanus river at the end of the world, to reach the underworld. [11.1-13] Aeneas also crosses a river (Styx) to reach the underworld. [6.436-441] After reaching land, Odysseus performs a ritual of digging a pit, sacrificing an ewe and a ram, pouring milk, honey, and wine, and sprinkling barley. [11.23-36] Odysseus performs this ritual to allow the spirits to come up to him. Aeneas on the other hand has to make preparations for two rituals one to get into Dis (underworld) and two to get out. Sibyl a priestess of Apollo tells Aeneas that in order to come back alive from Dis he must bury one of his men that has died without his knowing it and he must find a golden bough of a tree. [6.235-239] Sibyl performs the second ritual (to enter Dis); four black bullocks, a lamb, a cow and carcasses of bulls are sacrificed into a holy fire....
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