Similarities
Both epic poems has a mighty hero.
Achilles (Homer) and Aeneas (Virgil)
Achilles and Aeneas both have a pivotal
friend who dies in battle which causes a
similar reaction in each of them.
Both stories have a point in their war where
the fate of either side is to be decided by a
single battle between the two pivotal
people.
Pivotal = Important
Differences
The two mighty heroes has totally different
personalities. Achilles is motivated by the
desire of glory and Aeneas wishes to avoid
fighting whenever he can. Achilles is more
selfish minded.
At the end in “The Iliad”, Achilles is begged
to return Hector’s corpse to his father.
“The Aeneid” ends with Turnus death and
no call for remorse.
In “The Aeneid”, Aeneas must give up his
homeland and leave behind his love, Dido,
to fulfill his destiny.
Achilles is conflicted by the intense
emotions that drove him to battle as he
believes it's his duty to the mission of the
people.