The Odyssey: Bravery and Strength

" (225). The newly blinded Polyphemus has only one way to catch the men, by feeling around for them. The clever Odysseus disguises his men by blending them in with the cattle so when Polyphemus tries to find them he will only feel cattle. Following after during book twelve Odysseus devises another clever plan that will save his men from the sirens; he has his crew put wax in their ears so that they incapable of hearing the sirens. Odysseus' last clever plan was when he returned home to Ithica, he did not attack the suitors immediately. He waited until after he disguised himself as a beggar and works out a plan to take all of their weapons. Then he attacks with the help of his son, Telemachus. All of these quotes and examples emphasize the great intelligence of Odysseus, a trait he would not have survived without. .
             Bravery is one of Odysseus' many qualities that permits him to survive all of his adventures. In one adventure, Odysseus comes across the goddess Circe who has turned most of his men into pigs. Eurylochus somehow slips away from Circe and fills in Odysseus on what has happened. When Odysseus offers to rescue the men, Eurylochus says that no man can return alive. Knowing this, the brave Odysseus says, "Very well, Eurylochus, you may stay here in this place, eat and drink beside the ship. But as for me, go I must, and go I will." (117) Before he knows that he would be granted immunity by Athena he goes to rescue his men, fearless. "Men of war still wrapped in bloody armor-thousands swarming around the trench from every side- unearthly cries- blanching terror gripped me! I ordered the men at once to flay the sheep that lay before us, killed by my ruthless blade, and burn them both, and then say prayers to the gods, to the almighty god of death and dread Persephone. "(250-251) In the midst of book eleven Odysseus has to visit Hades, and even though he was terrified he still took charge.