clops, Polyphemos, show signs of his epic hero characteristics, bravery and trickery, but at the same time signs of his immature and foolish side, his human weaknesses. Odysseus takes out the eye of the Cyclops saving the lives of himself and his remaining crew. But later, after getting free and setting sail, Odysseus taunts Polyphemos proudly stating who he is and that he was the one who took out his eye. Polyphemos then gets his father, Poseidon, god of the sea, to invoke rage in the sea causing his journey home to be set off course and prolonged once again. Odysseus' journey to Hades, the land of the dead, shows a symbolic death for Odysseus and a later "rebirth." Here he meets with Teiresias who warns him of his later journeys and cautions him of his eventual return home to Ithaka where there is great danger and chaos for him. After this event Odysseus is more inclined to return home; He takes all of the advise and wisdom he has been given and realizes that he can not act foolishly as he had done before if he wants to return home alive or anytime in the near future. After his symbolic "death" in Hades, Odysseus has a symbolic "rebirth" when he washes ashore on the island of the Phaiakians, where he is naked and lost, as he was the day he was born. This "rebirth" is the beginning of Odysseus' journey to being a true epic hero.Once he is back in Ithaka the new changed Odysseus does not act foolishly and attack the suitors or immediately rush in, state who he is and start a battle. Instead, he is wise and clever, and with the help of Athena he disguises himself as an old beggar in order to bide time, assess the situation, and gather assistance. With his identity concealed, he easily roams his kingdom and surveys the ills of his disrespectful subjects. Here Odysseus displays his sheer strength when he fights Iros. The two were at close quarters now, and Iros lunged hitting the shoulder. Then Odysseus hooked him under the ear...
