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Examples Of Loyalty In The Odyssey

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In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Homer portrays loyalty as a guiding force in one’s decision making. In “The Test of the Great Bow”, Eumaeus is loyal to Odysseus even after twenty years of Odysseus’s absence. Eumaeus trusts Odysseus enough to allow him to “‘judge what stuff is in [him] / and how [he manages] arms”’ because he desires to please Odysseus (1136-1137). Through this, Eumaeus gives up his free will and allows Odysseus to make his decisions for him. Without loyalty, Eumaeus would have ignored Odysseus’s commands instead. Additionally, in “Odysseus and Penelope” Penelope proves her loyalty to Odysseus by not marrying any of the suitors. She instead ‘“[arms herself] / … against the frauds of men’” due to her love
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