Athena in the Odyssey vs. Virgil in the Inferno Essay

2 of the greatest works ever written, The Odyssey by Homer and The Inferno by Dante, ar detailed, multi-secti geniusd poems some the excursions of twain men. In distri besidesively story, the of import character is given some sort of guidance by another character in order to aid them in their break downs. In The Odyssey, genus Athene is portrayed as the protector to Odysseus on his journey sticker home from the Trojan War to his family in Ithaca. In The Inferno, Virgil is requested to choose Dante done and through and through the depths of Hell in order to turn in his soul. Many similarities freighter be resonaten among the two characters as they both served as advice givers, protectors, and guides for the main(prenominal) character. While the two guides seem very alike in the carriages they help, it turns out that legion(predicate) differences butt joint be observed in the midst of their ports. genus Athene and Virgil can both be perceived as escorts in the mai n characters journey, but they both are leading their pupils towards different endings and these endings can be representative of a much larger purpose that describes the two authors views on keep at the sentence each poem was written.In Greek mythology, Athena is regarded as the goddess of Wisdom. She uses her wisdom to aid Odysseus on his journey back home to his family, through various trials and tribulations. Athenas guidance can be seen when Odysseus is finally being allowed to leave Calypsos island, which outraged Poseidon. Poseidon sends a great wave to wreck Odysseuss enrapture and possibly drown him in the vast ocean but kinda Athena helps him survive. But Zeuss daughter Athena countered him at once./ The rest of the winds she stopped right in their tracks,/commanding them all to shut up straight off, go to sleep./ All but the boisterous North-she whipped him up/ and the goddess beat the surf flat in the beginning Odysseus,/ dear to Zeus, so he could reach the Phaeaci ans,/ alter with men who love their long oars/ and escape his death at last. (Ody. 5. 421-427). other example of Athena protecting Odysseus is during the great battle in the entrance hall when Odysseus finally confronts his wifes suitors. Athena appears to Odysseus in the form of learn and tries to motivate Odysseus to kill all the suitors off with threats and accusations. She steady commands the suitors to through their spears at Odysseus all at once. At his command,/ concentrating their shots, all six hurled as one/ but Athena sent to whole salvo wide of the see (Ody. 22. 267-269). Odysseus sees that all of his men are untouched by the suitors spears, and this action propels him to take charge and lead an attack on the suitors. separately time Athena guides or protects Odysseus, its in order to save up his carriage. She desperately postulates Odysseus to bear home because Odysseus is a war hero and a King, very much deserving of a golosh return home. Athena thinks very highly of Odysseus because he is such a great warrior and she feels he exemplifies the virtue of excellence. Its easy to see how the ideals of society on life and death in Homers 7th Century BC times are portrayed through Athenas help. The throng of this time were most concerned on how you lived your life during the time you had. For them on that point was no glorious afterlife, so there was no need to pick up and save your soul to reap the prize of a great time after death. Homer uses Athena as Odysseuss guide to get back home and live out the rest of his life the way he pleases. Hes spent his time as a warrior and won his most master(prenominal) battles before the beginning of the poem, so now he deserves to live out the rest of his life in pacification with those he loves the most. Once he arrives home and fights off his wifes suitors (with the help of Athena of course) he will finally be withdraw in a sense to enjoy his life.In Dantes The Inferno, Virgil serves as a guide for Dante through the depths of Hell. Virgil is widely considered an allegory for human reason. reason out is needed in a Christian worldview in order to moderate emotion and desire from taking control allowing for acts of sin. Reason is paragons gift to mankind, a way of staying on the right path and avoiding the disastrous side of life, if it is used properly. Virgil was requested to help a lost Dante save his soul by Dantes departed love, Beatrice, who represents Gods grace. Virgil leads Dante through Hell in order for him to learn the descriptions of sins and their consequences. Virgil is with Dante through out his wide-cut journey, unlike Athena who single appears to Odysseus in The Odyssey every once in a while. One example of how Virgil is always there to lead Dante is when Dante faints before entering the First Circle of Hell. Dante faints at the shine of a silken light and awakens already in the next circle.With rested eyes, I stood/ and looked about me, then fixed m y gaze/ to make out where I was./ I found myself upon the brink/ of an abyss of suffering/ filled with the roar of imperishable woe. (Inf. 4. 4-9). This type of situation occurs umteen times throughout the poem, as Dante proves many times too weak to carry on, and Virgil takes care of him, protects him, and moves them along on their journey. Another situation is when Dante and Virgil arrive at the center of Circle 9 of Hell. They come to the great body of Lucifer, and Virgil throws Dante on his back to continue their up climb out of Hell. At his request I clasped him round the neck./ When the fly had opened wide enough/ he chose the proper time and role/ and took a handhold on those hairy flanks./ Then from hank to hank he clambered down between the thick pelt and the crusted ice. (Inf. 34. 70-75).While Virgil leads Dante physically in many ways, he also serves as a voice of reason and leads through his words. An example of this is back as they are entering the First Circle. Dan te says, My superordinate (Virgil) began You do not ask about/ the souls you see? I want you to know,/ before you venture farther,/ they did not sin. Though they have merit,/ that is not enough, for they were unbaptized,/ denied the penetration to the faith that you profess./ And if they lived before the Christians lived,/ they did not worship God aright./ And among these I am one. (Inf. 4. 31-39). In this situation, Virgil not only instructs Dante on what he needs to do, but also reveals a little more information about himself as well.Although Virgil seems to guide Dante in almost the exact same way Athena guides Odysseus, Virgil is working towards an all-together different purpose. In Dantes 14th century AD Christian society, it was imperative to ensure that you lived a good life on earth and repented for all your sins so that you would be in Gods presence in the after-life. Dante uses Virgil as a way for his audience to see that the most important thing is to save ones soul, ev en if a little guidance is required to do so.Dante needed to travel through the depths of Hell to be able to wake up and receive how reason should control emotions and desires so that life can be lived in Gods name allowing for a magnificent afterlife. By showing Dante the different circles of Hell, Dante learns the nature of sin and its consequences. Virgil teaches Dante a most important lesson when reason is not in control, it is more likely to commit gravelly sins, sins worthy of an afterlife in Hell and not in Gods good grace. Virgil steers Dante toward the light of God once again, saving him from his imminent doom, had he not been able to save his wandering soul.Athena and Virgil are considered to be a form of guidance to their poems main characters. In Homers The Odyssey, Athena helps to ensure Odysseuss safe return home, but also allows him to live out the rest of his rattling(prenominal) life on earth by saving him from various dangers including Poseidon and his wifes su itors. In Dantes The Inferno, Virgil serves as Dantes escort through the circles of Hell, but also pilots Dante back into Gods grace by saving his soul. Each can be seen as not only a physical chaperon but also a ghostly one that illustrates societys point of view on life or afterlife at the time each poem was written. working CitedAlighieri, Dante. Inferno. Trans. Robert Hollander and Jean Hollander. New York Anchor, 2002. Print. Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York Penguin, 1997. Print.