Homer in Virgil

Authors

Thomas Kerns, Portland State University

Subjects

Virgil. Aeneid, Homer. Odyssey, Homer. Iliad, Hellenistic Greek poetry, Virgil -- Knowledge -- Greek literature.

Abstract

This paper argues that the biggest influence on Virgil’s Aeneid was Homer’s epics. By tracing Homer’s influence on the Aeneid, there is a heightened sense of the reasons underlying the themes in Virgil’s writing. One of Virgil’s main purposes in writing the Aeneid is to identify Augustus with Aeneas. In the end, this paper suggests that not only are the influences of Homer important for an understanding of the Aeneid, but in fact are vital for it to accomplish its goals.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/13147

Recommended Citation

Kerns, Thomas (1992) "Homer in Virgil," Anthós Journal (1990-1996): Vol. 1: No. 3, Article 5.
Available at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/anthos_archives/vol1/iss3/5