Odysseus Epic Hero?
Odysseus Strategic Epic Hero
Odysseus: A Greek Epic Hero
When you think about Greek Epic heroes, Odysseus will most
likely come to mind. Odysseus is the main character in
Homer's "The Odyssey." "The Odyssey" describes Odysseus' adventures and obstacles in
his quest to return home to Ithaca, where he is king, from
the Trojan war. Odysseus has been gone for two decades. All
the other chieftains have returned home, however, Odysseus'
whereabouts are unknown.
One of the things that makes Odysseus a Greek hero is that
he is favored by the gods. In the Odyssey the gods help
Odysseus many times. When Poseidon struck Odysseus' ship
with lightning, Odysseus was able to survive because a
goddess named Ino gave him a magical cloak. The cloak
prevents Odysseus from drowning. When Odysseus' men are
turned into swine by Circe, Hermes the messenger god gives
Odysseus a magical herb that prevents Circe from using her
spells on him. Due to this Odysseus was able to gain favor
in Circe's eyes and he convinced her to turn his men back
to normal. Towards the end of the book, when Odysseus
returns to Ithica, Athena disguises him as a beggar. The
disguise was to fool the suitors, who are eating Odysseus
out of his home and are harassing his wife Penelope, and to
get Odysseus access to the palace.
The ancient Greeks used to say that a true hero must show
respect to the gods by giving them sacrifices and praying
to them. Odysseus gives sacrifices to the gods in many
instances in "The Odyssey." When Odysseus goes to Hades ,
the underworld, he sacrifices a ram and an ewe to the gods.
When Odysseus defeats Polyphemus, the Cyclops, who is the
son of Poseidon the god of the sea, Odysseus gives
sacrifices to the gods. Lastly when Odysseus defeats those
horrible suitors that outnumbered him by so much Odysseus
realizes that it was the gods who helped him do this. The
feats of strength and the ability to overcome
insurmountable odds could not be...
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