The Odyssey: Greed

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The Greek author Homer wrote an epic poem called The Odyssey, about a man named Odysseus. The poem is centered around one man’s journey to come home after a long and violent ten year war. Odysseus and his crew are trying to get to their homeland, Ithaca. They are tired and hungry and will do anything to get home. Little does Odysseus know that greed will make this journey back home take an additional ten years. Odysseus and his crew first demonstrate greed when they land on the Island of the Cicones. They noticed that the city was defense less and ask if they should attack. Odysseus agrees that it is tempting, however thinks it might spoil their luck. They argue that the gods “have thrown this fat little city into our laps… They (gods) would be angry if we were to refuse their gift… It would be bad luck not to attack” (Evslin, 5). Odysseus already had treasure from Troy, but they decided to attack. After they raided the city of all its treasure they got drunk on the beach. While they were, intoxicated and not knowing, what was going on the Cicones return and attack Odysseus’s crew a...

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