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Should Men Be Allowed To Eat In The Odyssey

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Everyone has been hungry at some point in time. Hunger can drive people to do anything takes to eat even if it has consequences. Odysseus men in The Odyssey have not had food in three months. Odysseus’ men should eat the cattle that belonged to Helios, the sun god, because of the following: they were starving, the first mate said drowning was preferable to starving, and the men believe they could give a sacrifice to Helios when they got home. The men had depleted their food supply. The men had things to eat, but it wasn't enough to keep them full. The men had not ate much for three months which made it easier to disobey Helios and eat his cattle at any moment. Hunger had set the men on the path to eat the cattle even with the possible …show more content…

This prophecy was part of a speech Eurylochus gave to Odysseus’ men which drive them even more. Eurylochus had told them that if they were to die it would be better on a full stomach. This turned the men toward eating the cattle even with consequences. Nevertheless, the thing that really tipped them over the edge was their belief of sacrifice once they got home. Eurylochus made the men believe that there were no troubles in eating the cattle if they sacrificed once they got home. If Eurylochus told them different, the men could have held back for at least a little longer. When the men thought they could sacrifice to not be punished, they believed everything should be fine. Eurylochus had persuaded them to take the wrong path and eat the cattle thus killing them for disobeying Helios. On the other hand, Eurylochus had a very good point against waiting to leave for food. The men there had a good reason to eat. They didn't have much food and they were only eating little things like bird and fish. They were starving and there was no doubt about it. When someone has very little to eat for a long period of time they will begin to starve, and it is hard to overcome hunger. Although, if they held off from eating the cattle just a little longer then all the men could have stayed

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Homer was an ancient Greek writer best known for his book of epic poems The Odyssey. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is the protagonist who is meant to be the hero throughout the story; however, he does not display heroic qualities through his impulsive decisions, he is full of hubris, and displays terrible leadership. Throughout the whole journey, Odysseus makes impulsive decisions by never sticking to one plan. In the beginning, Odysseus and his men are stuck in a cyclops cave.

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They ate the cattle, sp therefore they would sacrifice themselves. They let hunger overtake their greatness. They did not listen to the captain's orders so they have to face the consequences. They believed the choice they made was best for them to do. They had many reason why they should have not made the choice to eat the cattle.

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I believe this “hunger” is a representation of not only their physical hunger but also the want for more in their own lives. This hunger lead them to do wrong, despite wanting to do good, “Well, sir, I ain’t never been mixed up in nothin’ wrong, before nor since, and I don’t intend to be again, but I was hungry that night” (253). This leads me to my 2nd point; when you are hungry for more in your life you tend to not fight for what you want or believe in. “But Edward didn’t holler. He just sat down on the coal.

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Here, their almost hopeless desire to eat comes true, but because of the way the food is given, men have to confront each other, emphasizing that animal behavior by the use of the term “stampede. ”After they get some of the

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In this book, Odysseus has been disguised by Athena as a beggar who has traveled the world. He has been dropped back on Ithaca by the Phaeacians. On his journey back to Ithaca Odysseus has changed greatly. As the prophecy has said he has returned home in a stranger 's ship, without his crew, and as a broken man. After Athena disguises him, Odysseus goes to his loyal swine herder, Eumaeus.

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According to Smith, she explains “In this case, the punishment for gluttony comes from the ultimate glutton, a giant with an enormous appetite. This cycle of punishment for the “sin” of gluttony is furthered when Odysseus makes the giant’s appetite for wine his downfall.” This involves the Cyclops. Furthermore, with these punishments Odysseus played a clever trick on him. Though, with food comes desire and

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Odysseus starts to learn the importance of being modest through moments of despair. One can perceive a change in character midway through the journey, during his trip to Helio 's Island. Prior to the trip, the crew was deliberately told not harm Helios’s, cattle, for they will suffer the consequences. However, hunger grew in all their bodies leading them to eat the sun god’s cattle. In despair, Odysseus cries to Zeus explaining how he needs a god to save him from starvation.

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However, the monsters are not as interested in the indulgence of juicy steak, wine, or even the enticing and mystical lotus flowers, but rather in human flesh and blood. The Cyclops, Polyphemus, that Odysseus encounters on his journey gruesomely devours many sailors, tempted by the thought of being able to consume human “innards, flesh, and marrow bones.” The Cyclops continues his feast, “filling his belly with manflesh and great gulps of whey” (IX 312-322), as he greedily causes the demise of many sailors. This passage further reminds readers of the negative consequences of succumbing to the temptation of overindulging. It also acts as a clear warning to readers that feasting in excess is animalistic and inhuman.

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Odysseus decides to pray to the gods to end their hunger, but to no avail. A character named Eurylochus then suggests that the men eat the cattle, explaining that they should not listen to Odysseus because, in his opinion famine is the worst form of death. “‘Comrades,’ he said, ‘You’ve gone through everything: listen to what I have to say. All deaths are hateful to us, mortal wretches, but famine is the most pitiful, the worst end that man can come to’” (863-867).

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We can depict this through a quote found in chapter 9, “A wind from seaward served him, drove us there. We are survivors, these good men and I.” Being the heartless creature the cyclops is, he still goes on to eat Odysseus’ men, shocking them as they believed they should have gotten better treatment and a gracious greeting from the Cyclops as if they were noble heroes. However, soon Odysseus learns that

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