Although both Aeneas and Odysseus were prominent heroes in their own stories, they were quite different from one another. Aeneas had the goal of finding and creating a new home for his people after they left Troy. His determination and devotion were what kept him going and he never strayed away from his goal. He was a national hero who cared for the interests of other people and wanted the best for them. Aeneas was also an individual who obeyed the gods and followed the instructions they gave him without a single doubt. On the other hand, Odysseus was returning home from war with his men. It had been ten years since he started that journey and he had also lost all of his crew members during that time. This was all due to his selfishness as he was often tempted by his desires and decided to stray away from his goal. Based on this, we can see that Odysseus was a hero who only pursued his self-interests with no care for others. Although numerous gods helped him to get back home, Odysseus often disobeyed them. He even harmed Poseidon’s son Polyphemus at one point proving his disregard for others.
Both characters had different features that pertained to their Greek or Roman culture. As a Greek hero, Odysseus was more self-involved and cared more for his fame and glory. He always placed his interests first and did not show as much care for others around him. As a Roman hero, Aeneas was very dedicated to his country and to help out others. He cared for others’ wellbeing and acted in ways that would benefit them. Aeneas and Odysseus both hold good representations of how heroes should be in their culture.