ipl-logo

Intelligence In The Odyssey

430 Words2 Pages

The Odyssey - Intelligence VS. Strength
In the story, The Odyssey, there are many instances that support the term ‘intelligence is more important than strength’. Odysseus used his mental intelligence to outwit the Trojan warriors. He believed that the power of his mind was more effective than his physical capabilities. Three major supporting factors that support Odysseus’ beliefs include when Odysseus and his men built the Trojan horse, when Odysseus was given plant to resist a powerful magical spell, and when plans were developed to escape from Cyclops’ cave and return home to Ithaca. These great events showcase how intelligence proved to be more powerful than brute strength. During the Trojan War, Odysseus made plans to infiltrate …show more content…

Another example of how intelligence proved to be more effective than brute strength was when Hermes gave Odysseus a plant called Moly to make him resistant to Circe’s powerful spell that would change him to swine. Circe has already converted some of Odysseus’s men, so he rescues them. Odysseus goes to Circe’s palace to try to free his men; he then gets into bed with Circe, and frees his men. This also proves how intelligence is more important than strength in this situation.
Lastly, Odysseus used his clever plan to escape from Polyphemus. Odysseus gives Polyphemus wine to drunken him. Afterwards, he cuts an olive tree into six sections and fires a section of sharpened tree and stabs Polyphemus in the eye. Odysseus and his men get away from the cave, safely. The plan to escape Polyphemus’s cave was very clever, hence intelligence is more important than strength.
In Summary, intelligence proved to overpower brute strength time and time again. Both intelligence and strength are great characteristics to use together. However, the above examples show that intellect is superior to strength, especially in dire situations. Intelligence allowed Odysseus to strategize how to best use strength, such as in the Trojan War. Thus, if he was not able to outwit his enemies he likely would not have been successful in his many

Show More
Related

  • Odysseus's Leadership In The Odyssey By Homer

    806 Words  | 4 Pages

    When Odysseus was stuck in the Cyclops cave with his men, he tricked the Cyclops into thinking his ship was destroyed. By saying “‘My ship? Poseidon Lord, who sets the earth atremble, broke it up on the rocks at your land’s end” (9. 273-274), he prevented the Cyclops from thinking about attacking the ship. This statement shows he was thinking ahead and using his intelligence and cleverness to keep them safe. When the Cyclops asks who he was, he said his name was “Nohbdy” (9. 360-361).

    Read More

  • The Epic Hero Traits Of Odysseus In Homer's The Odyssey

    166 Words  | 1 Pages

    Odysseus comes up with the plan to escape and he “ . . . [ties the sheep] silently together . . . So three sheep could convey each man” ( Homer 9. 466 - 470). Odysseus has the trait of being clever because he had the idea to tie three sheep together. The epic hero trait of clever can clearly be seen in Odysseus's actions because he not only came up with a plan by himself but brought it into effect himself also.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Odysseus Being A Hero

    459 Words  | 2 Pages

    Brains over brawns is Odysseus’ motto. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is a hero because he stabbed the cyclops in the eye, he was a great leader, and he defeated all of penelope's suitors. He was arrogant at times and that's why you might say he is not a hero. But every time he made a mistake he backed it up.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Odysseus Being A Hero

    1156 Words  | 5 Pages

    First, Odysseus shows strength when Antinous, one of the men trying to marry Odysseus's wife. Antinous gets mad at a beggar, Odysseus in disguise. As the narrator stated, “Boiling over, Antonius gave him [Odysseus] a scathing look /.../ with that he seized the stool and hurled it - square in the back it struck Odysseus under the right shoulder, but he stood up against it - steady as a rock” (17. 504-505, 508-512). This shows Odysseus is full of strength because he could have stayed on the ground and whined.

    Read More

  • The Odysseus Is An Epic Hero

    556 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus was capable of deeds of great strength and courage which was shown in many instances throughout the epic poem The Odyssey, in book 9, line 288 - 292 “ I drew it from the coals and my four fellows gave me a hand, lugging it near the Cyclops as more than natural force nerved them; straight forward they sprinted, lifted it, and ramped it deep in his carter eye.” In the quote it proves that he is capable of deeds of great strength and courage due to his actions in lines 288-292 as he comes up with a plan to escape the cyclop by blinding it. Odysseus found a tree and sharpened it and put it in fire with his men and hid it. Later on they gave the Cyclops wine to get him drunk and eventually the Cyclops passed out and roasted the stick a second time and attacked the Cyclops where Odysseus and his men blinded the Cyclops. With him and his men working together to escape the island as soon as possible.

    Read More

  • To What Extent Is Odysseus A Hero

    445 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus is a hero because he is smart. Odysseus outsmarts the cyclops “Nobody- thats my name” (Book#9 Line#410). This shows Odysseus is smart and he used this plan to get away from the cyclops. It also shows that he is smart because he knew the cyclops would say that “Nobody” is blinding him. Odysseus came up with a plan to get rid of the suitors “Look, your crucial test is finished” (Book#22 Line#5).

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Odysseus And Beowulf

    541 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus proves his strength against the lotus eaters, and the cyclops. A Superhuman is braver, stronger, and cleverer than ordinary people. Beowulf was the only person who was willing to fight Grendel and was able to destroy him.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Strengths And Weaknesses Essay

    373 Words  | 2 Pages

    Personal strengths and weaknesses are magnified during the course of a journey. Some strengths that were magnified during the course of Odysseus’ journey were courage and self-discipline. There were many instances in which he proves to be a courageous man. In the Cyclops story,  Odysseus knows that whatever lives on the island he has arrived to is “a towering brute” and a “wild man ignorant of civility” and yet he decides to venture into the cave.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Weaknesses In The Odyssey

    364 Words  | 2 Pages

    Such as being crafty, smart, cunning, and even quick thinking. In 'The Odyssey' Odysseus shows quick thinking in the episode 'The Cyclops' where Odysseus tells the Cyclops, Polyphemus, that his name is Nohbdy. When Odysseus introduces himself as 'Nohbdy' the Cyclops believes it. So, whenever Odysseus and his men stab Polyphemus in the eye, he screams that someone by the name of Nohbdy is hurting him. The other Cyclops thinks he is saying nobody is hurting him so they leave him.

    Read More

  • Odysseus: An Epic Hero In Homer's Odyssey

    196 Words  | 1 Pages

    Without these peculiar, but precious traits, Odysseus would never had made it home. Odysseus’s quality of craftiness and quick thinking contributes to his intelligence. When he fought the cyclopes in “Book 9,” he had to think quick on his feet to help save him and the

    Read More

  • Essay On Odysseus Is An Epic Hero

    726 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus and his men had gotten stuck in Polyphemus’s cave with no way out and unluckily for them, this cyclops liked to snack on men. Odysseus needed to think of a way to get them out of there and fast before they all became lunch to Polyphemus. Odysseus’s plan was to offer him wine and to get on his good side before he had gotten drowsy and went to bed. After the cyclops had fallen asleep, Odysseus started putting his plan into action. He had taken the trunk of an olive tree and started carving away at the edges to make a spear shape.

    Read More

  • The Cyclops In The Odyssey

    448 Words  | 2 Pages

    That Odysseus is depicted as not just strong, but smart, shows that extreme intelligence was praised in Greek culture. The Cyclops was

    Read More

  • Theme Of Cleverness In The Odyssey

    774 Words  | 4 Pages

    One way that Odysseus shows cleverness is when he is able to get his men out of dangerous situations. Two stories in which Odysseus uses his cleverness to get him and his men out of dangerous situations are in “Scylla and Charybdis”, and “The Cyclops”. Another way how Odysseus shows his cleverness is he deceives others to his advantage. In “The Cyclops” he deceives Polyphemus when he tricks him into thinking his name is Nohbody, and this helps him to escape the island and not get caught. Cleverness is a trait in The Odyssey that helped Odysseus to get him and his men out of dangerous situations, and cleverness also helped deceive others to Odysseus’

    Read More

  • Odysseus Character Analysis Essay

    574 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus was a man of great stature and strength; however, Odysseus was not only physically strong, but mentally strong as well (Olson). We can see Odysseus’ mental strength, or cunning, and bravery when he is in the den of Polyphemus and devises the plan to save him and his crew by calling himself nobody and stabbing out the cyclops’ eye. He also recognizes that he

    Read More

  • The Heroism In Odysseus Of Homer's The Odyssey

    414 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the story of the Cyclops Homer’s theme is intelligence rules over brute strength. Odysseus uses brilliant wisdom to overpower the might of the Cyclops. Homer shows that with Odysseus’ careful tactics he was able to beat even the mightiest of people. Homer also teaches that if one cannot keep their cool wisdom and strength are nothing.

    Read More

More about Intelligence In The Odyssey

Open Document