The Aeneid clearly reflects the influence that Homer's Odyssey had on Virgil's writing. Among the many common aspects shared by these two epics, each author's depiction of the Underworld provides an interesting basis for comparison. Although at first glance the similarity may seem extraordinary, upon closer examination several important differences can be discovered. These differences allow the reader of the poems to draw comparisons not only between the two poets, but also between their characters, namely Aeneas and Odysseus. Two particular passages that can be compared are Book VI, lines 335-489 of the Aeneid and Book X, lines 560 through Book XI, lines 62 of the Odyssey. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The characters of Aeneas and Odysseus are revealed through their respective journeys into the Underworld. A stark contrast lies in the steps each hero must take to reach their destination. The process that Aeneas must go through is much more complicated. The beginning of the said passage (lines 331 ff.) of the Aeneid describes the last phase of this process, when they make the formidable journey through the Sibyl's cave. They reach this final test only after making the necessary sacrifices to the gods and finding the Golden Bough, which grants them access across the River Styx. For Odysseus, the process described in XI.23-45 of the Odyssey seems simple by comparison. After sacrificing animals and promising his best heifer to the dead, he simply summons the lost souls and converses with them. He reaches his goal without a long and tiring journey like the one Aeneas has to face. The journey that Aeneas takes can be interpreted as a test of his determination. He says to the Sibyl: "No novel of difficulties, no surprises... I had foreseen them all, I retraced them in my mind" (Aeneid VI, 156-158). Aeneas has been through so much that there is no form of struggle or danger that he cannot face. And because he endured all those hardships, his resolve was demonstrated, while there is little evidence about Odysseus' resolve. Aeneas, however, has the help of a guide during the arduous process. Apollo's prophetess, the Sibyl, accompanies him to the Underworld, showing him the way and helping him understand what he sees. For example, when they are in the Sibyl's cave, she orders Aeneas to "enter here into the path and draw his sword" (Aeneid VI.359). Continue giving him similar commands throughout the journey. His dependence on Sibyl makes the reader wonder if he would have succeeded without her help. Ulysses, however, undertakes his journey entirely alone. He has no guide and this difference reflects the character of the heroes. Aeneas' passive nature leads him to always look to the fulfillment of his destiny, and he is helped or hindered by the gods. Ulysses, however, manages to make his way through the trials that fate has reserved for him. Aeneas' passivity can also be seen in the fact that he receives help even before the journey to the Underworld. The Sibyl informs him: "The corpse of your friend... lies out there unburied... First give this man his rest" (Aeneid VI.217-221). He orders him to bury Miseno's body first, which he does. Ulysses has no such advisor: he too had lost a friend, Elpenor, but this had remained unburied, and so he complained to Ulysses when they met in the Underworld. Elpenor asks Odysseus: "... do not go and leave me behind without tears, without burial" (Odyssey XI.72). Aeneas's passivity is subtly present even in something as minor as the person in whom the story is told. Aeneas' journey is told to the reader by the narrator in third grade.