land where he stays eight years with Kalypso. After all that, he is still able to build a ship and set out again for Ithaka, but he becomes shipwrecked by Poseidon and swims to Skheria, where Nausikaa, King Alkinoos’ daughter, finds him. Homer seems to purposely intrigue us by having other characters describe Odysseus, “He had no rivals, your father, at the tricks of war.” described Nestor rather early in the story. If all of the graphically horrid events and “warrior descriptions” do not help to classify Odysseus as a troublemaker, I do not know what would! In extensive recounts of the story, his killings are graphically described in a vulgar fashion adding to his troublesome image “Did he dream of death?” Homer askes later on when Odysseus kills Antinoos. “How could he?”. Antinoos’ nostrils spurt blood and in his death throes he kicks over his table, knocking his meat and bread to the ground “to soak in dusty blood.” It is indeed a graphic description and it exemplifies Odysseus’ “pain-inducing image.” Even with such stories, however, it is indeed very suitable to label Odysseus as an epic hero. He is in fact a legendary figure with more than the usual amount of brains and muscle. Sometimes throughout the stories it appears almost as though he is a superhuman. At the end of the story, with only his inexperienced son and two farm lands to help, he kills more than one hundred of Penelope’s suitors. He is able to do it because he has the help of the goddess Athena. He embodies the ideals Homeric Greeks aspired to: manly valor, loyalty, piety, and intelligence. Piety means being respectful of the gods, acknowledging their control of fate and evidently, consciously knowing you need their help. Odysseus’ intelligence is a mix of keen observation, instinct, and street smarts. He is extremely cautious. Also, Odysseus is good at disguises and ...
