Odysseus Heroic Qualities

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I believe that Odysseus is a hero because he displays many heroic characteristics. In Odyssey by Homer the main character Odysseus displays many heroic qualities on his journey. Odysseus and his men struggle to find their way home after being cursed by the gods. Odysseus’ heroic qualities shine on his journey back from the siege on Troy. “I drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, tied them down under their rowing benches”(pg 843 line 50) Homer tells us about Odysseus saving his men. After Odysseus’ men eat lotus offered to them by the inhabitants of an island they lost their will to return home. Odysseus decided to drag them back to the boat and tie them under their rowing benches to make them want to return home. The men were sent out on a scouting mission to learn who lived on the island. If Odysseus hadn’t saved them they would’ve never left the island and probably be eaten by a cyclops. …show more content…

His ship was struck by lightning because his men ate the sun gods cattle which they were told not to eat by Odysseus. He rode the raft only using his hands to paddle all the way to Scylla and Charybdis where he clung to a tree hanging off the side of a cliff for a whole day just before his raft was swallowed by Charybdis. Once his raft surfaced he dove into the water and swam to his raft. He then continued to ride his raft 9 days to Ogygia