Relationships throughout the Aeneid and Odyssey: what we learn about Greek and Roman society

Scholars have long acknowledged the cultural significance of ancient literature like Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid. It is of no doubt that readers learn more about Roman and Grecian culture and tradition from studying these sources, and such research has been done in the past and will continue to be done in the future. This thesis goes even further to examine how the relationships established in both epic poems accurately depict the societies of ancient Greece and Rome. From examining the relationship between Odysseus and Athena to the relationship of Aeneas and Dido, this paper explores how readers can effectively learn much about an individual’s culture and the tradition of society during that period of time by noticing repetition of values, how individuals conduct themselves, and the interactions of strangers and friends alike.