Examples Of Kenodoxia In The Odyssey

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The Greeks had a set of 8 evil thoughts that served as a moral code to guide the Greek people into morality. The Greeks believed that if these codes were abided by, the person would be closer to their humanity and lead a more fulfilling life. The epic The Odyssey by Homer, includes an episode where Odysseus encounters the Cyclops named Polyphemus. Here, he deceits the Cyclops, in the process blinding the Cyclops, and leading his crew onto a boat with the Cyclops’ sheep. In this episode, “The Cyclops”, Odysseus falls prey to the Greek evil thoughts, distinctively Kenodoxia (boasting), Hyperephania (pride), and Orge (anger). Odysseus bares the detriment of Kenodoxia, or boasting, of which is entangled in the flaunting of one’s accomplishments …show more content…

531). In simpler terms, Odysseus aggrandizes his accomplishments and genealogy towards the Cyclops. This detriment subdues him, and leads to his evasion becoming possibly threatened, additionally it characterizes him as egotistical, bearing that his main focus is to let everybody know of his feats. Furthermore, illustrating Hyperephania, or boasting of his abilities, Odysseus is blinded by his egocentric view of himself, “...and we all scattered to the far wall.” (225). At the time of this event, Odysseus is aware that by covertly sneaking on the Cyclops’ space not all his men will exit alive, but he has a detriment of arrogance that regardless of the uniform probability among all the men, he would still remain alive. The deduction can also be made that Odysseus disregards the wellbeing of his own men, trading it for the wellbeing of himself. With a leader like Odysseus, a mutiny among his men to overthrow him is not implausible. Simultaneously, Odysseus exhibits signs of Orge, or anger, of which comprises the holding onto anger rather than moving to resolve