Odysseus Was Indeed the Favorite

Odysseus was indeed the favorite hero of ancient Greece, why was that so? What are the qualities and actions of Odysseus that made him a beloved hero in Greece? Why was he so special in his era? These questions will be answered in this paper.

Why was Odysseus likely the most cherished hero in ancient Greece?

Gill writes in About.com (a New York Times publication) that Odysseus was "mortal and not a demigod like Achilles and Hercules" (Gill, 2013). Odysseus also was not given to commit "atrocities and adulteries," and moreover, according to Gill, Odysseus was a smart leader, and apparently did not cheat on his wife (although that can't be proved). Greek society admired him because he was courageous without being arrogant, Gill continues, and when it came to Greek virtues ("Courage, Wisdom, Humility and Justice"), Odysseus upheld all of them (Gill, p. 1).

In the spiritual and physical sense Odysseus was a hero to the Greek people (www1.union.edu). Why a hero in the physical sense? He wandered around the land for perhaps twenty years and while doing so he faced "extremely dangerous creatures and people" (www1.union.edu). The argument can be made that Homer would not have put Odysseus through the incredible encounters that he went through if Homer hadn't intended to show what a remarkable hero he was.

Also, in the spiritual sense, Odysseus was a hero to Greek people because he was faithful to his family and to his wife. During his travels, he is kept alive by the knowledge that he has a loving wife and son that are waiting for him back home (www1.union.edu). Another reason why he is respected is that he faced down immortality two times during his wandering. The difficulties and challenges he faced only made him stronger. In fact, among the strongest arguments in favor of Odysseus being high on the list of heroes in Greece is that when he encountered Hercules in the Underworld, Hercules told him that the two of them are "very similar" (www1.union.edu). If one of the most revered and respected Greek heroes says to Odysseus that they have similarities, that speaks volumes as to Odysseus' position as a hero.

Why would Odysseus's attributes and actions be considered so admirable?