Odysseus

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Odysseus is shown to be pious. Pious in that he was known to pray and offer sacrifices to Zeus. In Book I, it is implied that before he set off for Troy he had a habit of praying to and offering Zeus burnt offering. “And yet when Odysseus was before Troy did he not propitiate you with many a burnt sacrifice? Why then should you keep on being so angry with him?” (Book I). Zeus also acknowledges this. "My child, what are you talking about? How can I forget Odysseus than whom there is no more capable man on earth, nor more liberal in his offerings to the immortal gods that live in heaven? In the subsequent books, he is also prayerful i.e. when he prays to the river god at the Phaiakians (Book V). We also come to realize he is also a man full of wise advice

Odysseus appears to be sensitive and sentimental. In Book VIII he bitterly wept several times when the bard sang of his tale. “He drew his purple mantle over his head and covered his face, for he was ashamed to let the Phaeacians see that he was weeping”… “He wept as a woman weeps when she throws herself on the body of her husband who has fallen before his own city and people, fighting bravely in defense of his home and children”. Homer used the simile he wept as a widow to show just how much Odysseus was overtaken by his emotions. There is no greater sorrow than that of a widow.

Interestingly enough Odysseus is also quick to anger. During the games of the Phaiakians he was quickly angered when Euryalus taunted him that he was an unskilled trader who thought of nothing but for his own interests. This saw Odysseus fly to a fit and answer him murderously …" answered Odysseus, fiercely, "you are an insolent fellow- so true is it that the gods do not grace all men alike in speech, person, and understanding….Your ill-judged remarks have made me exceedingly angry….I will compete, for your taunts have stung me to the quick."(Book VIII). He was so very angered that he set on to prove Euralus wrong even without removing his cloak. This rage is also evident in Book XXII when he utterly refused to spare any of the suitors even with Eurymachus pleading with him to do so.

All in all I think Odysseus represents a Greek hero. Who wanted nothing more than to be reunited with his beloved and he gave his all to see that through. This makes him an astounding, selfless King.