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Problems Faced In Odysseus In Book 12 Of Homer's Odyssey

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In book 12 of The Odyssey, Odysseus and his remaining men encountered many problems that drastically changed the process of returning home. After the proper burial of Eplenor, Circe gives Odysseus advice to handle the dangers on the way home. Odysseus led his men to the island of Thrinacia, which contains the cattle of the sun. In this episode, Odysseus’s loyalty, bravery, compassion, and faith to return home with his men is shown, despite the many obstacles faced along the way.
Odysseus faced many challenges in this episode that hardened and delayed his homecoming. Before he and his men began their adventure in book 12, Circe, the goddess of magic, warns Odysseus of the problems he will face moving forward. “First you will raise the island …show more content…

When the Charybdis at six of his men, Odysseus was hurt, because those men were the strongest. “Of all of the pitiful things I’ve had to witness, suffering, searching out the pathways of the sea, this wrenched my heart the most” (The Odyssey 12.280-283). Odysseus feels some guilt and sorrow because he initially wanted to fight of the Scylla to save those six men, which shows his loyalty and compassion towards his men. Right before they left Aeaea, Circe told Odysseus of the sacred cattle that should not be killed or eaten. However, weeks after they reached the island of Thrinacia, Odysseus and his men were low on food and supplies. This induced the men to kill and eat the cattle of the sun God, Helios, and this infuriated him. “Father Zeus! The rest of you blissful Gods who never die-punish them all, that crew of Laertes’ son Odysseus-what an outrage! They, they killed my cattle…” (The Odyssey 12.406-409). Helios cries out to Zeus, and asks him to punish Odysseus and his men. While his men were killing the cattle, something in the text highlights Odysseus’s character. Odysseus was praying to the Gods for help, but soon fell asleep. Odysseus is a strong hero, who has faith in the Gods to help him and his men get home. Unfortunately, all of his men did not make it home with him. After losing six of his strongest men, Odysseus loses the rest of his crew, because of the wrath of Zeus. “Then in the same breath Zeus hit the craft with a lightning-bolt and thunder. Round she spun, reeling under the impact, filled with recking brimstone, shipmates pitching out of her, bobbing round like Seahawks swept along by the whitecaps past the trim black hull-and the god cut short their journey home forever” (The Odyssey

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