Is Odysseus Honorable

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What would you do if you could be the smartest, the strongest, and the most honorable person on the earth? If you lived back in ancient Greek you could be Odysseus. The Odyssey had great values that were important to him. The Odyssey represents values of ancient Greek culture bravery, glory and intelligence.

The Odyssey was a very honorable man. Odysseus shows a lot of intelligence, but also has a lot of dull moments. The time when the Odyssey introduces himself to the Cyclops, he introduces himself as “nobody”. This makes it so that the other Cyclopes don’t come running. To escape Polyphemus cave Odysseus escapes by strapping his men and himself to the bellies of the Cyclops sheep. Odysseus is very clever, but right when they're departing …show more content…
While the cyclops are sleep Odysseus summons the courage to sharpen a wooden stake and use it to gouge out the monster eye. Odysseus gets scared 80% of the time, but usually overcomes his fear and faces it. Bravery is everything to Odysseus. He never backs down, because he feels likes he has to show a good example for his crew. Odysseus travels down to the underworld to talk to Tiresias. He took up his sword and held off the shades until he could speak with Tiresias, but in the end he does not talk to Tiresias. Odysseus is brave, especially when he demands the restoration of his crew from Circe. However he partook of the Herb “Moly” to fortify himself. In light of this, we can see that Odysseus is a person who seeks after glory and …show more content…
A act of self-effacement. But at the last moment, he yells out to the Cyclops to make it be known that it was him, Odysseus, who defeated him, so that the Cyclops can spread his famous name and win him glory, but because Odysseus tells his name, the Cyclops brings misfortune to him and his crew by instigating the rage of Poseidon. In seeking glory, he disrespects his crew and causes his journey home to be longer. Similarly, he decides to face both Scylla and Charybdis, "hell-bent yet again to battle and on feats of arms," although it costs him several of his men. In the course of his journey home, however, Odysseus seems to repent of his youthful hunt for glory. Undercover as a beggar, he says to one of the suitors: "I too seemed destined to be a man of fortune once and a wild wicked swath I cut, indulged my lust for violence…. Let no man ever be lawless all his life, just take in peace what gifts the gods will send." He humbles himself in front of the suitors in order to avenge the great dishonor they have brought to his wife and his household. Although the vengeance brings him glory in battle, it is ultimately an act of honor. By the end of the journey, honor rather than glory becomes the guide to right
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