The Heroic Qualities Of Odysseus In The Odyssey By Homer

In “The Odyssey'' by Homer, an epic poem, the main character Odysseus travels with his men trying to return home. But, they run into many inconveniences. Throughout this journey, Odysseus shows bravery, loyalty, and intelligence. Which causes him to be considered an epic hero. One of Odysseus’s many heroic qualities is bravery. For example, Odysseus is entrapped by a cyclops, and one after another his men are dying. Odysseus knows if he does not do something soon many of his men and possibly himself will die. Odysseus explains on page 768, “ I drew it from the coals and my four fellows gave me a hand, lugging it near the Cyclops as more than natural force nerved them; straight forward they sprinted, lifted it, and rammed it into the deep

The first way Odysseus shows loyalty is when he and his men were shipwrecked on an island. Odysseus' men started to eat a plant called the lotus. The lotus plant made the crew members not care to go home. But, Odysseus knows that he can not leave them on the island. Odysseus states,“ I drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, tied them down to their rowing benches.” This piece of evidence is crucial to the main idea because it is showing that Odysseus cares enough about his men to make sure they all get back on the boat safely. Even if it means forcing them to. Odysseus is portraying loyalty because he made sure his men were in the boat when they left. Even though they were under the influence of the lotus- eater. His devotion to his men caused him to want to save them. Another example would be when Odysseus and his men are attacked by Scylla, a monster in the sea. Some of Odysseus’s men are taken to her layer, and they are eaten. A few moments later Odysseus speaks, “ And deathly pity ran me through at that sight- far the worst I have ever felt.” This quote is saying that Odysseus does not want to see his men be eaten, and he feels pity for them. Odysseus is showing sympathy for his men, and he does not want to see them suffer. This piece of evidence contributes to the claim that Odysseus is loyal because it is showing his faithfulness to his men. He does this by saying he feels the worst pity he has ever

While Odysseus and his men are trapped with the cyclops the cyclops asks what Odysseus's name is. Odysseus states “ My name is nohbdy; mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me nohbdy.” This is important to the main idea because Odysseus is using his cleverness and wits to trick the Cyclops. When the cyclops called for help he would tell them “Nohbdy tricked me!” This shows that Odysseus can think ahead and act wisely in different situations. Without his ideas, Odysseus and his men would still be trapped with the cyclops. Another example of Odysseus' cleverness is before he and his men escape the cyclops' cave. Odysseus straps his men to the bottom of the cyclops' sheep. Odysseus says on page 769 “I tied them silently together, twinning cords of willow from the ogre's bed; then slung a man under each middle one to ride there safely.” Odysseus is tying his men to the undersides of the sheep so that they can escape the cyclops' cave safely. This is an example of Odysseus' intelligence because he is finding ways to save his men so that they not only escape but they do it efficiently and get out safely. This is important because Odysseus is thinking ahead and he is thinking critically, which causes him to save himself and his