Final answer:
In the Iliad, Zeus determines Hector's demise and Achilles' temporary glory by weighing their lots on a scale. Hector's fate sinks, leading to his death by Achilles. Unlike the Iliad, the Aeneid does not feature this scene, but fate is a central motif in both epics.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Homer's Iliad, Zeus places the fates of Hector and Achilles on a weighing scale during their final chase around the walls of Troy. This symbolic act occurs in Book 22 of the epic. Zeus weighs their lots, and Hector's scale sinks, sealing his doom, while Achilles' fate rises, indicating his victory in the imminent duel.
Achilles then slays Hector, fulfilling the prophecy shown by the scales. The outcome of this scene is that Hector's death is indicated as being heavier or more fated at this moment, while Achilles is destined for more glory before his time comes.
Comparatively, the Aeneid, a later epic written by Virgil, pays homage to Homeric devices but does not make use of a similar scene with the scales of fate. However, fate remains a central theme in the Aeneid, governing the destinies of the characters within it, aligned with Virgil's purpose of depicting the inevitability of the rise of Rome and Augustus's lineage.
The presence of fate in both epics demonstrates Greek and Roman preoccupation with destiny and gods' involvement in mortal affairs.