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Odysseus Leadership Essay

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In Greek Mythology, there are many well-known and famous heroes, but none stands out like the quest hero Odysseus. Whether in the clutches of the Cyclops in his cave, his intellect on the island of Circe, or his care for his men as they sailed past the Sirens, Odysseus bravely led his men through it all. In these stories, many traits and values are recommended. These stories seem to value the leadership qualities of strength, courage, thirst for glory, confidence in authority, thoughtfulness, and intellectualness because a good leader like Odysseus needs to care for his men while making the right decisions whether they are tough or not for the well being of his crew. The Odyssey by Homer follows Odysseus' journey back home after the Trojan War. As he embarks on his journey home, he encounters many foes. These challenges tested his leadership skills and how his men looked up to him. In Book 9, we see how having skills of confidence in authority, pride, and intellect helps Odysseus. We first see this display of pride when he says to the Cyclops, “We’re glad to say we’re men of …show more content…

While we see many displays of character from Odysseus, the one that stands out to me in this book is his intelligence and thoughtfulness. Before Odysseus left Circe, she advised him about the sirens they would travel by. Instead of keeping this information to himself, he shares it with his crew so they can navigate past them in the best way possible and so that they know what they are up against. He says to them, “Friends… it’s wrong for only one or two to know the revelations that lovely Circe made to me alone. I’ll tell you all, so we can die with our eyes wide open now or escape our fate and certain death together” (Odyssey, Book 12, lines 167-171). This excerpt displays just how much Odysseus cares about his

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