Patience In The Odyssey

In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus’ heroic deeds are recounted through a narrative, written by Homer, that describes his arduous journey of his return from the Trojan war to his homeland of Ithaca. Loyalty, patience, and determination, are necessary traits to survive the perilous, painstaking journey that Odysseus embarks upon to return to his native land. Loyalty is exhibited when Odysseus goes to rescue his crewmen on Kirke’s Island despite the probability of jeopardizing his own life. Odysseus presents patience throughout the entirety of his journey, but most specifically when his crew opens the bag of wind, which causes much regression on the embark homeward. Determination is displayed when Odysseus is on Calypso’s island.

The crew believes the bag Aeolus grants Odysseus contains a fortune in gold. Therefore, they open it while odysseus is asleep. As the bag opens all the winds are released causing an extremely dangerous storm. This storm makes the boat become further from Ithaka. Patience is exhibited here because, while Odysseus was furious, he still kept the crew’s best interest, safety, and goals in mind. Odysseus will go to tell what he does next as “ down in the bilge I lay pulling, my sea cloak over my head while the rough gale blew the ships and rueful crews clear back to Aiolia.” (X 59-60) In this quote . Patience isn't shown by what Odysseus does, but more of what he did not do. Odysseus did not go ballistic on the crew, nor did he kill them or harm them in anyway. He simply dealt with the consequences and blamed himself. This shows patients because in this situation Odysseus had the right to do nearly anything to his crew who sent the ship so far back in their travels, but he did not. He was collected and failed to do anything rash. Odysseus’ patients is this shown through the epithet “a man skilled in all ways of contending”(I 460). This epithet proves loyalty simply because of the definition of contending, to struggle or surmount to a difficulty or danger. It's difficult to be patient but Odysseus is always patient with his crew. When, they make mistakes the difficulty, as

Odysseus has been away from home for nearly two decades and is being held captive by the Nymph Calypso. Calypso is holding Odysseus on her island for her sensational desires. Odysseus yearns to get home, it deeply saddens him that he has been away for his kingdom, home, and family. Odysseus says “Yet, it is true, each day I long for home, long for the sight of home.” (X 228-229). By this he means that he never stops thinking about home and his wife, Penelope. Ithaka is constantly on his mind. He will do anything to see his home or to touch foot on its soil. An epithet showing Odysseus’ determination is “much-enduring” (VII 107) . By Homer calling Odysseus to much-enduring he is saying Odysseus can handle anything and everything, which goes to make him extremely determined. To endure is to continue through tough times, determination is the trait that posses endurance. This endurance and yearning for home makes Odysseus