Self Discipline In The Odyssey

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Self Discipline
Have you ever really wanted to eat the last cookie but it took every ounce of self discipline to resist the temptation? That's the way Odysseus and his men feel thought out The Odyssey. But they don't always resist and give into the temptation. Odysseus and his men do not show self discipline through the odyssey.
Odysseus struggles with self discipline many times during the odyssey. One example of this is when fleeing cyclops island after barley escaping from right underneath the cyclops. " O Cyclops! Would you feast on my companions? Puny, am I, in a Caveman's hands? How do you like the beating that we gave you, you damned cannibal? Eater of guests under your roof! Zeus and the gods have paid you!"(Lines 383-389). This is …show more content…

In there travels, Odysseus and his men land on the island of Aeolia. Here Odysseus is given a gift from the wind god Aeolus. Aeolus gathers all the stormy and evil winds and places them into a bag for Odysseus voyage. Odysseus heads back to the boat and gives specific instructions to his men not to open the bag, but he doesn't tell them what is in it. His men are curious go against their kings order. "But during the voyage, the suspicious and curious sailor's open the bag, thinking it contains treasure, and the evil winds roar up into hurricanes that threaten the luckless Odysseus again."(Page 911). If his men used self discipline they would not have been delayed even more and arrive at Ithaca earlier.
Again Odysseus shows a lack of self discipline while with the witch Circe. Odysseus chooses to stay with Circe instead of trying to make it back to his wife, Penelope, and his kingdom of Ithaca. In the Odyssey it says "he enjoyed the many pleasures of Circe." (Page 913). This proves that Odysseus, once again has no control over himself when he is tempted. He choose the beautiful witch over his very own wife who has been waiting for years for him to return.
Odysseus and his men do not show self discipline throughout the odyssey. They give into many temptations and those mistakes cost them big. Self discipline, not only important in the Odyssey, but is still relevant in today's society. There are many tempting things that can and will be very harmful. The trick is to use self discipline to say no and think of how that will affect

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