Merriam-Webster defines strong as, “able to withstand great force or pressure.” In ancient Greek culture, the idea of having a strong mind and a strong body was heavily emphasized. In Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus the king of Ithica is a perfect model for this value. He begins his trek home following the Trojan War; however, his journey is troublesome and lengthy as he encounters numerous monsters, gods, and other predicaments. After twenty years, he returns home to his wife and son unaccompanied by his men who were killed at sea. Through the epic tale of Odysseus, readers are able to learn of the importance that a strong body and a strong mind had on Greek culture. Odysseus is able to prove in many ways how useful having a strong body is. At …show more content…
In his previous encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus says that his name is nobody. Later on, when Odysseus stabs the Poyphemus’ eye, the he exclaims, “ Nohbdy, Nohbdy’s tricked me, Nohbdy’s ruined me!” (Homer 338). This makes the other Cyclops on the island think that Polyphemus is just drunk and they ignore his cries. This proves Odysseus’ cleverness and aids in his escape from the island. Odysseus also exhibits his intelligence when meeting Circe the Witch. When Odysseus arrives on Circe’s island, all of his men except Eurylochus go to greet her. After their meeting, Circe makes them forget about their desire to return home and gets them drunk. Once the men are intoxicated, she turns them into pigs. Eurylochus reports the events back to Odysseus, and when Odysseus is on his way to save his men, Hermes visits him. It is said that “ Protected by the plant’s magic, Odysseus resists Circe’s sorcery” (Homer). Odysseus has the wisdom to heed Hermes’ advice and by doing so, has the power to save his men. His intelligence is not just shown through his cleverness, but also through the way he listens to advice when it is