Odysseus Responsible For His Own Downfall

Steve Maraboli, an author, once wrote, “The universe doesn't give you what you ask for with your thoughts; it gives you what you demand with your actions.” In other words, one’s actions will always reflect on themselves, even if they were smart or plain ignorant. Odysseus, an epic hero, made it back to the land of Ithaca, unlike his men. Even though Odysseus was the leader of his crew, he had no part of any of their demise. Odysseus’ crew members are responsible for their own death and there’s three major events which supports this: Aeolus’ wind bag, the Cyclops, and Helios’ cows. First, Odysseus’ crew opened up the bag of winds from the god Aeolus. Odysseus told his men to not open the bag of winds but “curious and suspicious sailors open the bag, thinking it [contained] treasure” (10.535-40). Odysseus’ men disobey him and opened the powerful bag of winds. Their actions caused the ship to sail back, which means they lost the chance to sail

Odysseus was filled with curiosity and “insist on waiting for the barbaric giant” (9.215-20). The men should have been more intelligent and have not gone with Odysseus to the cave. The crew should have said no and stop Odysseus from going. While they were in the cave, a few men were eaten by Cyclops, “he clustered at my companions and caught two in his hands like squirming puppies to beat their brains out, spattering the floor” (9.280). This could've been prevented if the men didn’t follow Odysseus into the death trap. Cyclops would’ve ate all of Odysseus’ men alive if they were more cautious. Odysseus was the one to come up with a plan, “running through tactics, reasonings as man will dear for life, until a trick came” while the men were no help at all (9.420). When they got out with the plan of Odysseus, Cyclop asked his father, Poseidon, to kill all of them. Odysseus’ crew had the opportunity to stay alive but they didn’t think and some died in the