rowd of suitors as well; all of whom wish to marry Penelope so that they may replace Odysseus as ruler of Ithaca. At this point, we finally see the warrior inside him emerge. Odysseus demonstrates his wit in ridding his house of the suitors and reclaiming territory on his wife. The struggles of his journey had merely involved beating men in trials of sport, outwitting demons and temptresses, and battling the elements; now Odysseus shows that in the business of killing his enemies and reclaiming his authority, he is at least as proficient as Achilles. The sharp contrast between Odysseus and Achilles as epic heroes suggests that for the ancient Greeks, the true greatness of a man lay mainly in the ability to overcome injuries and insults, so as to triumph over enemies and redeem one's honor. For Achilles, this meant forgetting his wounded pride and jealousy, and returning to the battlefield to avenge his slain companion Patroklos. Although he never doubts for moment that he can vanquish Hector, the real demonstration of courage lies in his decision to go through with it, since he knows that his own death will follow shortly after that of the man he kills. Though admiration of Achilles personality after witnessing his tendency to pout and sulk at his misfortune and to snarl at his companions can be difficult, every reader must respect the loyalty and devotion he shows his friend Patroklos who has been killed, and the bravery of his final decision to come out of seclusion and avenge his friends wrongful death. In contrast, Odysseus has many-sides to his personality and his characters commitment and devotion to his family represent all that is best in a man. His sufferings are more serious and deeply felt than those of Achilles, whose only fully human attachment is with his friend Patroklos. The main difference between these two epic heroes, ultimately, is that Achilles' story involves the death of many better men than he, and ends unhappil...
