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Examples Of Leadership In The Odyssey

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Bravery, cleverness, and determination are three traits a good leader has. In Homer’s epic “The Odyssey,” Odysseus, the hero in the story, is trying to return home to Ithaca after his victory in Troy. On their way back home, Odysseus and his men hurt the cyclops, Polyphemus, and angered his father, Poseidon. With a god angry at them, Odysseus and his men had to overcome many obstacles. These obstacles led them to strange islands that had goddesses and dangerous creatures. Odysseus used bravery, cleverness, and determination to be a good leader and get his men through all these dangerous obstacles. Odysseus is a good leader as seen through his bravery, cleverness, and determination. Odysseus demonstrates good leadership through his use of bravery. …show more content…

In the quote, “My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy,” (lines 360-361) Odysseus and his men have just gotten Polyphemus drunk and Polyphemus asks Odysseus what his name is. This quote is important because it shows Odysseus being clever when he told Polyphemus his name was Nohbdy. This quote illustrates Odysseus being a good leader by using his cleverness and not telling Polyphemus his real name to protect his men and himself. Also, in the quote, “I drew on all my wits, and ran through tactics, reasoning as a man will for dear life, until a trick came-and it pleased me well. The cyclop’s rams were handsome, fat, with heavy fleeces, a dark violet. Three abreast, I tried them silently together, twining cords of willow from the ogre’s be; then slung a man under each middle one to ride there safely, shielded left hand right, “ (lines 418-426) Odysseus was trying to come up with a way to get his men and himself out of Polyphemus’ cave. This quote displays Odysseus’ cleverness when he comes up with the idea to get his men and himself out of Polyphemus’ cave. This quote is significant because Odysseus shows another trait, cleverness, that a good leader has.
Lastly, Odysseus illustrates good leadership through his use of determination. In the Circe episode, Circe persuades Odysseus and his men to stay with her. Homer explains how the

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