There are incredibly clear connections that can be made between The Odyssey and The Aeneid.
Athena is to Odysseus as Venus is to Aeneas. Both are advocates for the characters. They defend and advise both men in the process of enduring hardships.Venus gets the help of other various gods along the way to help weave her master plan, just as Athena speaks to Zeus and other gods as she weaves her master plan. Also both goddesses appear to their favored mortals in disguise.
I did an essay on the importance of disguise regarding Athena and the development of Telemachus, so the disguise of Venus caught my attention. I wonder how significant Venus' tendency to withhold will be in the development of Aeneas.
This is only one aspect of many that connect the two tales. Interesting to see the war from the other side.
P.S. I commented on Danielle's post.
I can't understand why Venus-if she is indeed favoring her son-did not choose to intervene sooner? Perhaps she could have helped save the Trojans? Maybe that's a part of the story I'm missing...
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