an epic simile is different than a normal simile in that an epic simile

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is an extended comparison between two seemingly unrelated things that helps to emphasize the significance of the subject being described. It is also known as a Homeric simile, as it was commonly used in epic poetry, such as the works of Homer.

Unlike a regular simile, which typically makes a straightforward comparison between two things, an epic simile goes into great detail and can stretch for several lines or even an entire stanza. It may also use exaggerated or fantastical imagery to help illustrate the comparison.

For example, in Homer's "The Odyssey," Odysseus is compared to a lion when he attacks the suitors in his palace:

"As when a lion in the mountains, starved of meat and filled with courage, goes forth against men to find a meal, and comes at last, if fate so will, to a well-set homestead; even so Odysseus, starved of meat and filled with courage for the fray, led on his men."

In this epic simile, Odysseus is compared to a lion in order to emphasize his courage, ferocity, and hunger for revenge against the suitors, just as a lion would attack a well-set homestead in search of food.