Odyssey essay
Courage is the ability to do something that may frighten someone else or even yourself. You ignore this fear and push through. The ancient Greeks valued courage for a good reason because it is not a trait that comes easy to most. The Odyssey, by Homer, is a story of Odysseus and his journey to return home after the Trojan War. He runs into many different obstacles and monsters along the way. He also has to defend his household against suitors that are seeking to marry his wife. According to Homer in The Odyssey, the Greeks value courage because Odysseus never gave up on his crew, took risks, and defended his home against the suitors.
Odysseus was courageous by never giving up on his crew. “Eurylochus, you can stay right here, in this very spot, eating and drinking by our black hollow ship. But I will go.”(pg 196) Eurylochus just came back from watching a sorceress named Circe turn some of the crew members turn into pigs. Eurylochus was scared to go back to Circe, but Odysseus wasn’t scared and decided to go and save them. This shows courage because when Eurylochus was trying to tell Odysseus to leave the crew, Odysseus put aside his fear and went to go save them. He would never leave a man behind. “They wished to stay, to remain among the Lotus-eaters, feeding on the plant, eager to forget about their homeward voyage. I forced them, eyes full of tears, into our hollow ships.”(pg 167) It would have been easy for Odysseus to say, “Ok, you guys can stay, everyone else let’s go!” Instead, he stuck with his crew for as long as possible. He made sure no man was left behind. It was courageous of him to do such a thing because he literally had to drag these crewmates back to the ship. The crew members resistance could have harmed Odysseus, but that didn’t stop him. The ancient Greeks valued courage for good reasons, it is hard to stay fateful through things thick and thin, and this exactly what Odysseus displayed. Courage was shown by Odysseus never giving up on his crew.
Odysseus was always courageous by taking risks. “And then some god breathed powerful courage into us. They lifted up that stake of olive wood and jammed its sharpened end down in his eye”.(pg 178) Imagine approaching a creature bigger than anyone has seen before. Most people would be scared out of their minds, and too nervous to do anything. Odysseus on the other hand had the courage to go straight up to the Cyclops, and stab him right in the eye. This was brave because he could have easily died right there. “Whoever unwittingly goes past them and hears the Sirens' call never gets back. His wife and infant children in his home will never stand beside him full of joy.”(pg 235-236) When this quote was said, Odysseus was about to pass by the Sirens. The Sirens sing a song to unprepared sailors to lure them onto their island where they subsequently devour them. When Odysseus’ ship passed by it, he decided to risk his life to listen to what the sirens said because what they sing can make yourself a little wiser. He tied himself down so that he could not escape, and endured the need to go and see the Sirens. In the end, this risk paid off. The ancient Greeks valued this courage because Odysseus risked everything to be able to make himself wiser. Risks are always hard to take, and Odysseus was courageous by taking them.
Odysseus was courageous by defending his home against the suitors. “Among those feasting, who would ever think in such a crowd of people, one man, even with truly outstanding strength, would bring himself an evil death, his own black fate? Odysseus took aim and hit him with an arrow” (pg 429) Even when faced against the odds, Odysseus does not shy away from the challenge. He knows what he wants, and he gets it. No one expects him to make a move like this one, and it pays off. Only someone with the courage and confidence to come out on top could make a move like that. Not only was he courageous enough to take the risk, he succeeded. “Odysseus and his men pursued the suitors and struck them down, one by one throughout the hall. As they smashed their heads in, dreadful groans arose, and the whole floor was awash in blood.” (pg 440) Odysseus' actions show tenacity because he never stopped fighting until every last suitor was dead. When in the face of danger, Odysseus did not back down. He killed everyone and still managed to get out alive. You can see this was a brutal fight by all the blood on the floor. Courage is when you don't back down in the face of danger, and he definitely stepped up to the plate for this one. Odysseus displayed his courage from defending his house from the suitors.
In The Odyssey, Homer shows the Greek value courage because Odysseus always stuck with his crew, takes risks, and defended his home against the suitors. The ancient Greeks valued courage, and for a good reason. It is hard to take a risk because minds tend to go to the possibilities of something going wrong. But when it comes down to it, having courage saved Odysseus' life, furthermore cementing the importance of courage to all.
Odysseus was courageous by never giving up on his crew. “Eurylochus, you can stay right here, in this very spot, eating and drinking by our black hollow ship. But I will go.”(pg 196) Eurylochus just came back from watching a sorceress named Circe turn some of the crew members turn into pigs. Eurylochus was scared to go back to Circe, but Odysseus wasn’t scared and decided to go and save them. This shows courage because when Eurylochus was trying to tell Odysseus to leave the crew, Odysseus put aside his fear and went to go save them. He would never leave a man behind. “They wished to stay, to remain among the Lotus-eaters, feeding on the plant, eager to forget about their homeward voyage. I forced them, eyes full of tears, into our hollow ships.”(pg 167) It would have been easy for Odysseus to say, “Ok, you guys can stay, everyone else let’s go!” Instead, he stuck with his crew for as long as possible. He made sure no man was left behind. It was courageous of him to do such a thing because he literally had to drag these crewmates back to the ship. The crew members resistance could have harmed Odysseus, but that didn’t stop him. The ancient Greeks valued courage for good reasons, it is hard to stay fateful through things thick and thin, and this exactly what Odysseus displayed. Courage was shown by Odysseus never giving up on his crew.
Odysseus was always courageous by taking risks. “And then some god breathed powerful courage into us. They lifted up that stake of olive wood and jammed its sharpened end down in his eye”.(pg 178) Imagine approaching a creature bigger than anyone has seen before. Most people would be scared out of their minds, and too nervous to do anything. Odysseus on the other hand had the courage to go straight up to the Cyclops, and stab him right in the eye. This was brave because he could have easily died right there. “Whoever unwittingly goes past them and hears the Sirens' call never gets back. His wife and infant children in his home will never stand beside him full of joy.”(pg 235-236) When this quote was said, Odysseus was about to pass by the Sirens. The Sirens sing a song to unprepared sailors to lure them onto their island where they subsequently devour them. When Odysseus’ ship passed by it, he decided to risk his life to listen to what the sirens said because what they sing can make yourself a little wiser. He tied himself down so that he could not escape, and endured the need to go and see the Sirens. In the end, this risk paid off. The ancient Greeks valued this courage because Odysseus risked everything to be able to make himself wiser. Risks are always hard to take, and Odysseus was courageous by taking them.
Odysseus was courageous by defending his home against the suitors. “Among those feasting, who would ever think in such a crowd of people, one man, even with truly outstanding strength, would bring himself an evil death, his own black fate? Odysseus took aim and hit him with an arrow” (pg 429) Even when faced against the odds, Odysseus does not shy away from the challenge. He knows what he wants, and he gets it. No one expects him to make a move like this one, and it pays off. Only someone with the courage and confidence to come out on top could make a move like that. Not only was he courageous enough to take the risk, he succeeded. “Odysseus and his men pursued the suitors and struck them down, one by one throughout the hall. As they smashed their heads in, dreadful groans arose, and the whole floor was awash in blood.” (pg 440) Odysseus' actions show tenacity because he never stopped fighting until every last suitor was dead. When in the face of danger, Odysseus did not back down. He killed everyone and still managed to get out alive. You can see this was a brutal fight by all the blood on the floor. Courage is when you don't back down in the face of danger, and he definitely stepped up to the plate for this one. Odysseus displayed his courage from defending his house from the suitors.
In The Odyssey, Homer shows the Greek value courage because Odysseus always stuck with his crew, takes risks, and defended his home against the suitors. The ancient Greeks valued courage, and for a good reason. It is hard to take a risk because minds tend to go to the possibilities of something going wrong. But when it comes down to it, having courage saved Odysseus' life, furthermore cementing the importance of courage to all.