odyssey and voyage difference

Oxford University Press's Academic Insights for the Thinking World

A map of Odysseus’s journey

The Odyssey

Odysseus--soldier, sailor, trickster, and everyman--is one of the most recognizable characters in world literature. His arduous, ten-year journey home after the Trojan War, the subject of Homer's Odyssey , is the most accessible tale to survive from ancient Greece, and its impact is still felt today across many different cultures.

• June 26 th 2014

Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey is a classic adventure filled with shipwrecks, feuds, obstacles, mythical creatures, and divine interventions. But how to visualize the thrilling voyage?

The map below traces Odysseus’s travel as recounted to the Phaeacians near the end of his wandering across the Mediterranean. Odysseus’s ten-year trek began in Asia Minor at the fallen city of Troy (the green marker) following the end of the Trojan War. His ultimate destination: his home in Ithaca (the red marker). Click the markers for information on each step of his journey. It is important to note that the 14 locations plotted on this map have been widely debated by both ancient and modern scholars.

Barry Powell, translator of a new edition of The Odyssey , asserts that the currently agreed upon location of the Island of the Sun (#11) is in fact modern-day Sicily. However, the characters in The Odyssey are in “never-never land,” and consequently, the locations plotted cannot be deemed entirely accurate.

Headline image credit: Ulysses and the Sirens by John William Waterhouse, 1891. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons .

Barry B. Powell is Halls-Bascom Professor of Classics Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His new free verse translation of The Odyssey was published by Oxford University Press in 2014. His translation of The Iliad was published by Oxford University Press in 2013.

• Arts & Humanities
• Classics & Archaeology
• Images & Slideshows

Our Privacy Policy sets out how Oxford University Press handles your personal information, and your rights to object to your personal information being used for marketing to you or being processed as part of our business activities.

We will only use your personal information to register you for OUPblog articles.

Or subscribe to articles in the subject area by email or RSS

Related posts:

Recent Comments

There is NO ‘republic of Macedonia! There’s only a so-called Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Please amend your map. You of all to make such mistake?! It’s disgraceful.

Well, your work is an excellent one and enjoyed it. However, I would like to point out that your map has a huge mistake.Does not exist a state named “Republic of Macedonia”, it is FYROM. So if you want to be accepted by Greeks “Hellines”, you have to correct that name at once. FYROM did not exist at the times of Odysseus, they appeared in that territory many-many centuries later from the NE Slaves.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

The map above was created using Mapbox, which sources its geography from Open Street Map. All countries and locations named on the underlying map are modern. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is commonly referred to as ‘Republic of Macedonia’ in English for brevity (as ‘Italy’ instead of ‘Italian Republic’). This is reflected in the Open Street Map data and is not the direct work of the authors or editors.

Alice Northover OUPblog Editor

Thank you of your reply. In any case any official organization must not accept to participate to the propaganda game of Scopia.Their real old name was and is “Vardaska”. So we, Hellines, will never accept to play their game.In any case, if they want to belong to the Hellenic recent history, they have to ask their union with Hellenic state. Regarding “brevity” this is another of their games…..

Since you are interested of Greek/Hellenic history, please see/read new articles regarding recent discovery at ancient Amphipolis of Macedonia.This is the real history and not the constructed one.

Please do not seek in the Mediterranean!

Homeros was not a fanciful poet.

I say: explorations for Homeros should also be in the Netherlands, where in the ever sinking delta formerly was situated the land Phtia, twice a day inundated by the sea. Clay soils it had, with coarse clods, and the king was married to a sea goddess. Maps have recently been reconstructed.

Who wrote this

Comments are closed.

• Science & Math
• Sociology & Philosophy
• Law & Politics

Comparison of Aeneas and Odysseus: Heroes & Journey

• Comparison of Aeneas and Odysseus:…

The Roman Empire has been classified as perhaps the greatest empire of the ancient world. Some have even gone so far as to claim it is the greatest empire in the history of mankind. The Romans were unbelievably patriotic, and proud of their vast empire. This inevitably led them to compare themselves to those that had come before.

As a writer at this time, Virgil was not immune to Roman patriotism. In his Aeneid , Virgil highlights the comparison between the Romans and their cultural predecessors, the Greeks. He draws literary parallels to Homer to emphasize his point. The characters of Aeneas and Odysseus are microcosms of their respective cultures. Through a comparison of the hero Aeneas to the hero Odysseus, Virgil shows that the Romans are the superior culture.

In the Aeneid and the Odyssey , Aeneas and Odysseus both undergo a parallel journey with the ultimate purpose of returning (in Aeneas’ case establishing) a home. However, throughout their journeys, the actions of the two heroes are vastly different.

Aeneas embodies the Roman value of duty. He is given a task by the Gods, told directly by Mercury: to leave Carthage and found an empire in Rome. Immediately after receiving this message, Aeneas is prepared to obey, “As the sharp admonition and command from heaven had shaken him awake, he now burned only to be gone, to leave that land of the sweet life behind.” (N.A. 1093, 364) It is Aeneas’ instinct to obey the command of the Gods.

As the end of this sentence shows, Aeneas is willing to obey despite the fact that he knows he will be leaving “the sweet life behind”: leaving his lover, Dido and the good and peaceful life he could have had. “Duty-bound, Aeneas, though he struggled with desire…took the course heaven gave him and went back to the fleet.” (N.A. 1097, 520-526) Aeneas sacrifices his personal happiness – his private life – for the good of his people and his public duty.

Odysseus, on the other hand, is not driven by any sense of duty. He leaves Troy to return home to Ithaca, yet does not reach his destination for 10 years. Even when he does arrive, he does so without any of his original crew. Odysseus is driven purely by self-interest, and often abandons those he is indebted to and responsible for. He strays multiple times from his path: on the island of the Cyclops, with Circe and with Calypso, all the while putting his followers in danger and betraying his waiting wife.

Odysseus only returns to Ithaca and his wife at the order of the Gods, when he has had his fill of bliss with Calypso. All of Odysseus’ actions are fuelled by self-interest; he puts his private life above his public duty, a trait particularly abhorred by the Romans. Thus Virgil uses the comparison of Aeneas’ sense of duty to Odysseus’ self-interest to propel the Roman culture above and beyond that of the Greeks.

Homer’s works are part of the Trojan cycle, and represent two major themes: the Iliad is war, and the Odyssey is a journey. Virgil takes these two concepts and combines them in the Aeneid , which is a journey followed by a war. Yet Virgil’s Aeneas and Homer’s Odysseus approach war in vastly different ways.

Aeneas fights for the future, to create an empire for his son, and to continue the legacy of Troy. As he explains to Dido, “Priam’s great hall should stand again.” (N.A 1095, 449-450) Aeneas fights for a purpose greater than himself. As he is told by his father in the Underworld, “What glories follow Dardan generations in after years, and from Italian blood what famous children in your line will come, souls of the future, living in our name.” (N.A 1120, 619-622)

Aeneas knows that his battles are meant to benefit others, and he accepts this and fights harder for it. Unlike Aeneas, Odysseus fights for himself, to satisfy his own self-interest. Throughout his journey, Odysseus purposefully involves himself in the conflict in order to achieve glory for himself. On the island of the Cyclops, Odysseus could have avoided conflict with Polyphemos, and the eventual vengeance of Poseidon, had he not been so focused on personal glory.

Even once he has reclaimed his house from the suitors, Odysseus sees fit to kill them all despite their surrender and offer of compensation, “Not for the whole treasure of your fathers…would I hold my hand. There will be killing till the score is paid.” (N.A 496, 61-64) Odysseus’ motivation towards the suitors was his own revenge, not just the saving of his wife.

Benefit for others through Odysseus’ actions is merely a by-product of his own personal benefit; it is never first in his mind to fight for the cause of others, as he is always focused on his own self-interest. Aeneas fights his battles for others, for the future, and ultimately to create . Odysseus fights for himself, and the outcome is always destruction .

Virgil uses this as a metaphor for the comparison between cultures. Rome is focused on a greater purpose and creates the building of a vast empire and creation of an enormous united culture; whereas Greece is selfish, and destroys : the sacking of Troy followed by the internal destruction of the Peloponnesian war.

There is a reason that figures become great in the history of a culture. These infamous heroes often embody the ideal of that culture, the values it most wishes to uphold, and the image it wants to present. To compare the heroes of a culture is to compare the cultures themselves, and in Virgil’s Aeneid, he is able to do just that.

He compares his hero Aeneas, father of Rome, to the Greek Odysseus, and every time – especially from the Roman perspective – Aeneas is the victor. Aeneas is the ideal Roman hero, and in many ways has also highly influenced our contemporary notions of a hero. The comparative triumph of Aeneas over Odysseus is Virgil’s declaration of the triumph of Roman culture.

Related Posts

• Comparison of Abundance of Elements
• Sociocultural & Social Comparison theory
• The Hobbit: Bilbo Baggins' Journey
• Odyssey vs. Odysseus
• Meiosis vs. Mitosis: Comparison

Author:  William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team)

Tutor and Freelance Writer. Science Teacher and Lover of Essays. Article last reviewed: 2022 | St. Rosemary Institution © 2010-2024 | Creative Commons 4.0

I know this is an old thread but I’ve studied both texts and have noticed that obvious Virgil is mimicking Odysseus’ journey when Aeneas is at sea, however Aeneas manages to sail AROUND Scylla and Charybdis, they only SEE Polyphemus on the horizon and easily miss his rocks, and Neptune sends a wind to help Aeneas once again AVOID Circe’s island. Aeneas is NOT kept against his will by Dido as Ody is by Calypso (Although Ody does stray with Circe for a bit but it’s not a full on marriage resulting in suicide!) He does have luck in Crete for some time, doesn’t lose all of his crew just the women and elderly, and has a lot more help/interference from/by the gods both acknowledged and secretly. Thus Aeneas’ only plights are the famine (easily overcome), losing Dido (he forgets her pretty easily), and obviously the fight for Latium. However to me at least having read the Odyssey that section of the book would have had more impact had Aeneas suffered the same as Ody – like the suitors scene at the end of the Homeric epic.

To claim that Virgil asserts the superiority of Rome (through Aeneas) over Greece (through Odysseus) is to ignore the omnipresent ironies of The Aeneid that undermine (or at least problematize) its overt message. In all the key moments of the Roman epic, there are subtle hints not only on the unnatural behavior of Aeneus (his incongruity), but on his failure to live up to the proclaimed ideal/identity. As a literary epic, The Aeneid remain ambivalent about its lessons; unlike the traditional epic The Odyssey, which neither covers up the unpleasant truths about human nature and existence, nor obfuscates the truly grand and dignified nature of them.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post comment

• Select language Spanish English

Oasis of the Seas VS Odyssey of the Seas

Find out all the differences between these two cruises at 2024

Enable JavaScript and refresh the page to view the Center for Hellenic Studies website.

See how to enable JavaScript in your browser.

• Current Residential Fellows
• Previous Fellows
• Library Visitor Policies
• Research Guides
• Seminars and Workshops
• Current Exhibits
• Student Opportunities
• Faculty Programs
• Introduction to Online Publications
• Primary Texts
• Research Bulletin
• Prospective Authors

Fellowships

• Fellowships in Hellenic Studies
• Early Career Fellowships
• Summer Fellowships
• CHS-IHR Joint Fellowship
• Previous Fellows Previous Fellows – Chronological Lists

The Library

• Publications Articles Books Prospective Authors Primary Texts Serials

Epic Singers and Oral Tradition

Citation:   Use the following persistent identifier: http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ebook:CHS_LordA.Epic_Singers_and_Oral_Tradition.1991 .

7. Beowulf and Odysseus *

What is the difference between journey , trip , voyage and excursion ?

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

• Organizations
• Planning & Activities
• Product & Services
• Structure & Systems
• Career & Education
• Entertainment
• Fashion & Beauty
• Political Institutions
• SmartPhones
• Protocols & Formats
• Communication
• Web Applications
• Household Equipments
• Career and Certifications
• Diet & Fitness
• Mathematics & Statistics
• Processed Foods
• Vegetables & Fruits

Difference Between Voyage and Journey

• Categorized under Words | Difference Between Voyage and Journey

Voyage vs Journey

“Voyage” and “journey” are two words related to the word “travel.” “Travel” means “going from one particular place to another place.” “Journey” refers to a lone piece of travel. “Voyage” refers to a long journey, especially by ship.

Journey “Journey” refers to a single or lone piece of travel. It means traveling from one place to another place. For example, The journey from England to France can be done by train. It can be a short journey which is referred to as a trip, or a long journey. “Journey” can be used as a verb too in place of “travel,” but it sounds very poetic and formal. For example, They journeyed across the desert.

There are many words which are used to describe different types of journeys, for example:

Odyssey-Which refers to an eventful, long, wandering journey. Expedition-Refers to a journey which is organized for some particular purpose. Commute-Refers to a daily or regular journey from one’s place of work to home. Excursion-Refers to a journey which is particularly for pleasure. Schlep-Refers to a difficult and tedious journey.

These are just a few words which are used in place of “journey” to describe a very particular type of journey. “Journey” is used metaphorically also which does not actually describe the journey of a person from one place to another but the events happening in the life of a person, for example, The journey of one’s life, or life itself described as a long journey.

Voyage “Voyage” refers to a long journey mainly to a distant place or foreign place especially by the sea. The word “voyage” is not often used in modern times but historically. Voyages were very significant. For example, Christopher Columbus discovered American mainland in his third voyage. People traveled by sea to all foreign lands for trade, pleasure, adventure, etc. Wars were won and lost on the sea. Nations were built and destroyed by the power of the fleet possessed by a nation.

There are many words which are used in place of “voyage,” for example:

Cruise-Which refers to an ocean trip taken especially for pleasure. Crossing-It refers to a voyage across the Atlantic ocean not specifically said but understood.

There are many other words similar to these words which specifically express a journey by sea.

1.“Journey” refers to a single or lone piece of travel; “voyage” refers to a long journey mainly to a distant place or foreign place especially by the sea. 2.“Journey” is a word which is very often used in the modern world; “voyage” is not often used in the modern world but was very significant historically.

• Recent Posts
• Difference Between Data Mining and Data Warehousing - October 21, 2012
• Difference Between 7-Keto DHEA and DHEA - October 20, 2012
• Difference Between Tamil and Malayalam - October 18, 2012

Sharing is caring!

Search DifferenceBetween.net :

• Difference Between Travelers and Tourists
• Difference Between Aquatic and Marine
• Difference Between Faraway and Far Away
• Differences Between the Words ‘Agenda’ & ‘Itinerary’
• Difference Between Ocean Liner and Cruise Ship

Cite APA 7 Kaushik, N. (2012, February 6). Difference Between Voyage and Journey. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-voyage-and-journey/. MLA 8 Kaushik, Nimisha. "Difference Between Voyage and Journey." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 6 February, 2012, http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-voyage-and-journey/.

Thanks for the giggle. Reading through the definitions of journey and come upon “schlep”. Hilarious that you should include this Yiddish idiom.

Yes! Finally something about travel.

Leave a Response

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Written by : Nimisha Kaushik. and updated on 2012, February 6 Articles on DifferenceBetween.net are general information, and are not intended to substitute for professional advice. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages.

Advertisments

More in 'words'.

• Difference Between Center and Centre
• Difference Between Lodge and Resort
• Difference Between Authoritarian and Fascism
• Difference Between Advocate and Barrister
• Difference Between Advocacy and Lobbying

Top Difference Betweens

Get new comparisons in your inbox:, most emailed comparisons, editor's picks.

• Difference Between MAC and IP Address
• Difference Between Platinum and White Gold
• Difference Between Civil and Criminal Law
• Difference Between GRE and GMAT
• Difference Between Immigrants and Refugees
• Difference Between DNS and DHCP
• Difference Between Computer Engineering and Computer Science
• Difference Between Men and Women
• Difference Between Book value and Market value
• Difference Between Red and White wine
• Difference Between Depreciation and Amortization
• Difference Between Bank and Credit Union
• Difference Between White Eggs and Brown Eggs

Cruise Spotlight

Helping you find cruise ships you'll love

Odyssey of the Seas vs Escape

The Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas was built in 2021. It's 6 years newer than the Escape , which was built in 2015 and renovated in 2019.

Comparison Overview

Number of passengers, food and restaurants, bars and drinks, pools and hot tubs, ship features and activities, cruise costs, onboard costs.

The Odyssey of the Seas is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,138 feet long and 135 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.2 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. It's about the same size as the Norwegian Escape.

Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas holds about the same number of passengers as the Escape based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Odyssey of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Escape. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Odyssey of the Seas has 21 different dining options like Chef's Table , Chops Grille , and Two70 Cafe . Of those options, 11 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 10 options have an additional fee.

The Escape has 4 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Le Bistro French , Moderno Churrascaria , and Cagney's Steakhouse . 9 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 16 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Escape might be a better choice. It has 19% more dining options than the Odyssey of the Seas.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Odyssey of the Seas might be a better choice then the Escape. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

The Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas has 5 fewer bars than the Norwegian Escape. The Odyssey of the Seas has 11 bars like Bionic Bar, Boleros and Schooner Bar. On Odyssey of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 16 different bars such as Pincho Tapas Bar, The Haven Bar and Tobacco Road.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Odyssey of the Seas and the Escape below.

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas has a total of 4 pools and 5 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only. 1 of the pools are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

The Norwegian Escape has the same number of pools as the Odyssey of the Seas and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Escape. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Odyssey of the Seas, 75% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Escape, only 57% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas will likely be more expensive than on Norwegian Escape.

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a Free at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive free open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at their specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the Free at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.

Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?

Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Threads , or subscribe to our monthly newsletter .

Articles Related the These Ships

Norwegian Switches The American Diner to Complimentary

Wheel of Fortune Coming to 16 Norwegian Ships

How norwegian cruise line’s drink packages work.

Skydiving on a Cruise Ship? RipCord by iFLY

Ride Bumper Cars on Your Next Cruise

Royal Caribbean’s North Star: All You Need To Know