Prowess In The Odyssey

Odysseus uses his intellectual prowess over his might multiple times in The Odyssey.

One example is when Odysseus puts beeswax in his men's ears so they don’t get tempted by the sirens. Strategically, Odysseus says “Coming forward, I carried wax along the line, and laid it thick on their ears (548).” Odysseus is very strategic in doing this because he knows that the siren's songs are irresistible. If he didn’t do this then his men would jump off of the ship and get attacked by the sirens. Odysseus is using strategic behavior to become a heroic leader, he doesn’t need to be strong to be powerful. Odysseus doesn’t do this to himself, instead, he says “They tied me up, then, plumb amidships, back to the mast, lashed to the mast, and took themselves again to rowing (550).” Odysseus makes them tie him up instead

He claims that at least one person must listen to the song. And that someone had to be Odysseus. In addition, when Odysseus takes down the Cyclops he says “I cheered my men along with battle talk to keep their courage up: no quitting now.” Odysseus is hyping up his men in order to get them into the correct mindset. Odysseus knows that this is the only way they can take this cyclops down. Odysseus could have used all of his might to try and take this cyclops down himself, instead, he gets the rest of his crew in the warrior mindset. Odysseus says “I lifted it and rammed it deep in his crater eye, and I leaned on it turning it as a shipwright turns a drill in planking (315).” Odysseus knew that the most effective way to take the cyclops down was to stab the spear into his eye. This ultimately took down the Cyclops and it is all thanks to Odysseus’s intelligent prowess. He had created a cunning plan to take the cyclops down and that is the only reason they made it out of there. Moreover,