Which epic, 'The Illiad' or 'The Odyssey' is more impressive in its portrayal of war?

Both poets use the theme of war to demonstrate each protagonist's character development and suggest the frailty of human life. Even for great warriors, fate is irresistable and inexorable. Look at Homer's use of vingettes for more evidence of the sense of the ubiquity of death on the battlefield. Homer encourages pathos from the reader when parents outlive their children: in the case of Hector's death, Priam and Hecabe must watch, as powerless to Achilles' might as his son. Even 'god-like' Achilles, a near immortal, is fated to die in battle. He is aware of his destiny, yet continues to fight in the pursuit of personal glory. Achilles is emblematic of the perfect embodiment of the Homeric hero. Conversely, Aeneas represents a new type of epic hero; instead of embodying the Homeric attributes of the past, Aeneas is a figure of 'pietas'. Virgil writes the poem in praise of Augustus and the ideal of empire. Rome had endured a century of violence, corruption and insecurity of life and property, and Augustus promised peace, order, prosperity and moral regeneration. 'The Aeneid' is a search for a vision of peace and order for Rome, and for humanity in general. Whilst war provides Aeneas with a homeland for the Roman race, and Virgil a legitimate, semi-divine protagonist, it enables the reader to chart a moral degeneration in his character. The final scene of the poem, Aeneas' execution of Turnus symbollises Virgil's ambivilance towards war as a source of moral decay, and as a necessity for the glory of Roman empire and civilization. Virgil's portrayal of war is therefore perhaps more complete.