Odysseus, the complete individ
The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the ancient Greek poet Homer. It is a classic story that focuses on the main character Odysseus and his journey home to Ithaca after the end of the Trojan War. In The Odyssey, Homer portrays Odysseus as a well-balanced individual. In Homer's time, the Greeks believed that a well-balanced individual must possess three important characteristics: a clever mind, a fit body, and the ability to speak well. Odysseus embodies three important characteristics of the Greek vision of the well-balanced individual, which include resourcefulness, physical prowess, and the ability to speak well.A well-balanced individual such as Odysseus must be resourceful. Odysseus proves to be very resourceful when he hatches the brilliant idea to offer the citizens of Troy a large wooden horse, filled unknowingly to the Trojans, with Greek soldiers. Throughout his journeys, Odysseus' resourcefulness gets him out of some very tough situations, like when he escapes from the cave of the Cyclops in Book IX . Odysseus knows that the Cyclops will surely devour him and his remaining men, so he has to find a way to outwit the great Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon. Odysseus makes an
Odysseus embodies the three important characteristics of the Greek vision of the well-balanced individual. This quality is evident in Book VI, when he first addresses Princess Nausicaa on the island of Scheria. Odysseus proves to be a convincing, articulate speaker who can win over or manipulate his audience with ease. Both Odysseus' physical abilities and his resourcefulness continue to help him throughout his journey home. Odysseus is quite insulted by the comment and in response he picks up a discus and throws it with such a rush of wind that the Phaecians fall flat to the ground. In addition to being resourceful and physically fit, a well-balanced individual must also possess the ability to speak well. Odysseus uses his wit to escape from the Cyclops' cave by hiding under the ram's belly, which is a kind of Trojan horse stratagem in reverse. Odysseus is disguised as a beggar and Eumaios asks him about his origins. Odysseus cleverly hides himself under the belly of the fattest, best ram of the flock and they wait like this until morning. By dawn, the rams begin to stir and Polyphemus, still blind and full of pain, lets each ram pass by him to go out to pasture. In Book XXI, Odysseus demonstrates his physical prowess once again by being the only man who can string the bow. Once asleep, Odysseus and his men go to work on the man-eating Cyclops. Odysseus wisely uses his resourcefulness throughout his journey home.
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