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Trials And Tribulations In Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

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Odysseus in Homer’s The Odyssey has to go through trials and tribulations and he could not reach home in Ithaca without being so intelligent through the ordeals. The first trial was to get away from Calypso island. The text states that “The nymph Calypso, a powerful goddess—/ And beautiful — was clinging to him / In her caverns and yearned to possess him” (1.17-19). The main trial that Odysseus faced was the wrath of Poseidon was then stated shortly after the first trial by saying, “All the gods pitied him, except Poseidon, / Who stormed against the godlike hero” (1.25-26). The previous quote also shows that Odysseus has a very good reputation with the gods, and it is also the reason that Odysseus escaped the island. The tribulation at sea continues at the beginning of book V with Athena talking to Zeus in the presence of all the other gods except Poseidon about Odysseus returning to his home, Ithaca. …show more content…

After Odysseus is let go he went to the land ruled by Phoenicians. The Phoenician king approves to provide a ship for Odysseus. Odysseus’s ship sails to the home of Aeolus, ruler of the winds, and Aeolus provides Odysseus with a bag of wind. Odysseus did not deem it necessary to tell his crew what was in the bag that Aeolus gave him. Odysseus reacted to the crew’s actions with sorrow and then asked Aeolus, “My evil crew ruined me, that and stubborn sleep. / But make it right, friend, for you have the power”

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