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The Fastest And Toughest Journeys In Homer's Odyssey

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The Odyssey Essay The longest and toughest journeys are usually the most rewarding. This is the case with the hero, Odysseus, king of Ithaca. As Odysseus embarked on his journey home to Ithaca from the Trojan War, he met many characters that assisted him in his journey and many that harmed his journey. In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus encounters many characters like Polyphemus, Circe and Tiresias who all help or hurt him along his expedition back to Ithaca.
Polyphemus, a dangerous cyclops, impacted Odysseus negatively by attempting to kill him and his men. Polyphemus ate some of Odysseus’ crew and prayed to his father, Poseidon, that Odysseus never makes it home to Ithaca and sees his family or kingdom ever again. The narrator explains that …show more content…

Tiresias tells Odysseus, “When you make landfall on Thrinacia… you’ll find the grazing herds of Helios...if you raid these beeves, I see destruction for ship and crew” (Homer lines 85-93, 1229). Tiresias explains to Odysseus that if should feast on Helios cattle, then whoever ate of his cattle should die, along with their ship. Odysseus takes this advice and carries it with him until he lands on the island of Thrinacia. Tiresias provides Odysseus with helpful information about his home, Ithaca. He explains to Odysseus, “Though you survive alone, bereft of all companions, lost for years, under strange sail you come home, to find your own house filled with trouble: insolent men eating your livestock as they court your lady… you shall make those men atone in blood” (Homer lines 92-97, 1229). Tiresias tells Odysseus his fate and his future about the rest of his journey. The information that Teiresias has provided Odysseus with will help him to prepare for the future and gives him hope to know that he will make it home to his wife, son and kingdom. Tiresias, a blind prophet of the underworld, has an overall positive and helpful effect on Odysseus and the battles he faces on his journey home to Ithaca. In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus meets many characters like Polyphemus, Circe and Tiresias. These characters all either had a positive or negative effect on his journey back to Ithaca. Odysseus had a long and tough journey home from the Trojan War and from his many stops along the war but is ultimately rewarded when he reconnects with his wife , son and

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