Ancient epics from Greek and Roman origins often have central heroic figures who are usually filled with charisma and have complex personalities. Two such heroes were Aeneas and Odysseus, from Virgil’s The Aeneid and Homer’s The Odyssey, respectively. Each of these heroes follow similar paths in their journeys back home after the Trojan War, however, their approach and personalities greatly vary during the numerous encounters in their journey. Odysseus is conceited and flaws as a hero by excessively praising himself. He is also not very careful about his crew members and tends to be unfaithful to his wife. On the other hand, Aeneas gives importance to his dignity more than his self-pride. He is less arrogant and more sympathetic to his enemies. He did his best to protect his family and very importantly his first wife, even though they were killed before he could save them from the enemies. He is able to accept…show more content… Virgil says that a good hero will follow the path of “pietas”, or piety, and accept his destiny. He shows these characteristics through Aeneas in his story. Aeneas has deep faith in the Gods and in his fate, and never fails to keep his goal in sight. Because of his steadfast mindset and complete faith, the Gods come in every now and then and guide him at times of difficulty. He recieves prophecies from Apollo, advice from his mother, Venus, and reminders from Jupiter about his duties. This is a key part in his life as a Virgilian hero, as without the help of Gods, Aeneas would not have been able to make the right decisions in his journey. Another characteristic that Virgil shows in Aeneas his compassion and sympathy towards his people and family. He is a sensitive to the feeling of others and empathizes with his people for their safety. He is also deeply devoted to his father and son. This bond between his father and son shows clearly the Virgilian concept