preview

Self Control In The Odyssey Essay

Decent Essays

“The Hero doesn’t Get the Reward; the Hero Pays the Price” (anon). One of the heroes who paid the dear price was Odysseus, a hero who fought in The Trojan War. Odysseus was the man who came up with the plan to build the wooden horse, ending the rigorous fight with it. Odysseus was going back home after earning the victory for his country, which he was king of one of the kingdoms -Ithaca-. But Odysseus faced trials that constrained him ten years late to arrive home. His story about how he faced these trials and tests, were written in the Epic: “The Odyssey” by Homer. After reaching home, and completing the trials called upon him, Odysseus was deemed a legend and a hero.

In the light of trials Odysseus went through, he revealed a manifold of …show more content…

Self-control led Odysseus’ men to glory, not dying from the first challenge set upon them. To clarify, Odysseus demonstrated that having restraint is crucial in times of war. For instance, when the king went back home after completing the trials; he saw that his house filled up with suitors. Odysseus then controlled himself and didn’t take foolish actions, but waited and made a plan. This idea was then further elucidated in the words of Homer, “The stool he let fly hit the man’s shoulder. Odysseus only shook his head, as he walked on” (Homer 685). After Odysseus came up with the plan to sabotage them from the inside, he went to the suitors, where he asked for food -disguised as a beggar-. After asking for food, the haughty suitor Antinous, bashfully threw a stool, just to defend for that meager comment, “A pity you have more looks than hearts”. Although Odysseus could’ve ended his life right there, he waited patiently; That is the true format of self-control, holding one’s eager covets in the most crucial moments. If Odysseus just gave up and fought back, his plan would’ve failed, for he can’t fight hundreds of men all alone; proving that self-control is

Get Access