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Homer 's Odyssey : The King Of Ithaca And Glorious Hero Of The Trojan War

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In the Illiad, King Menelaus of Sparta and all of Greece waged a bloody and long war against the city of Troy. Among the Greek, there were many heroes: Achilles, Ajax, Agamemnon, and many more. The one who made it possible for the Greek to win in the end was Odysseus, the King of Ithaca. Homer’s Odyssey, in which the story of Odysseus continued on, described the tormenting years of his journey home. He set sailed from Troy, expecting to be home in a few months. Instead, his ships were blown all across the Mediterranean Sea, facing countless obstacles, and he finally reached his beloved home alone, after ten painstaking years. By the end of his journey, Odysseus the mighty King of Ithaca and glorious hero of the Trojan War, changed from a proud and reckless young man to a humble, travel-weary, wise man from all the hardships and troubles he underwent. At the beginning of his quest, Odysseus was still relatively young and proud, especially since he just won the Trojan War. Many a times on his journey, it was his own pride and curiosity that became his undoing. The most ample example would be his infamous encounter with the Cyclopes, Polyphemus. Odysseus and twelve of his men went to explore the land for its inhabitants, only to find a cave full of food. Not only did Odysseus’ men eat Polyphemus’ food without permission, Odysseus had ungratefully asked for a gift: “It was our luck to come here; here we stand / beholden for your help, or any gifts / you give – as custom is to

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