Odysseus Epic Hero

The Odyssey an epic poem written by Homes in 850-750 B.C. revolves around the main character Odysseus. Odysseus is an epic hero in the poem trying to find his way home after the Trojan War. His motivation to get home fast is his wife Penelope. Alongside with him for the journey is his men who fought with him in the war. Throughout the poem the actions he does is what makes him an epic hero.

After being on sea for days the men had finally found land but later to find out it is home to a cyclops named polyphemus. Polyphemus ate two of Odysseus men and Odysseus wants revenge but him and his men get trap in the cave “ ‘Cyclops, try some wine. Here’s liquor to wash down your scraps of men.” (Homer 569). The guys came up with an idea to get cyclops drunk and then stab him in the eye in his sleep to make him blind. Successfully the plan worked they stab cyclops eye with a big stick sharpened and heated at

Before reaching the sirens Odysseus goes to Circe’s Island and finds out how to ignore the sirens “The goddess reveals his course to him and gives advice on how to avoid the dangers he will face”(Homer 580) Just as they reach the area where the sirens are to be Odysseus protects his men by putting beeswax in their ears but leaves him to have none. He tells his men to tie him up so he can listen to the singing of the sirens and to tie him down harder if he ever says let me go. “Soon, as we came smartly within hailing distance, the two Sirens, noting our fast ship off their point, made ready,and they sang”(Homer 582). As Odysseus was tied up listening to the sirens he said the lovely voices made it harder to desire being untied. The men row by the sirens fast and soon untie Odysseus once the singing sirens faded away. Saving his men and again sacrificing himself to listen through the sirens singing he is showing why he is called an epic