The Oddesy

The Odyssey is one of the oldest texts in existence and it paints a vivid picture of a world 3000 years ago, a Greek society that was full of values that were in some ways different and surprisingly similar to those we hold today. There are many things that were very important to the ancient Greeks that we still value today- bravery, respect, and honor. But the way these values are expressed in the Odyssey are quite different than those values we hold dearly in modern times. The main values that The Odyssey demonstrate are heroism in battle and Respect for the gods and strangers. Odysseus is often referred to as “master of battle craft” and is meant to epitomize the Greek ideal for a great person, who will live and die heroically on the battlefield. The ancient Greeks were very superstitious and saw themselves as being at the whim of the gods, and the only chance for survival, as Odysseus found out, was to have them on their side, this is shown time and time again in The Odyssey. Respect for guests was also very important and they were to be treated as if they were the host’s own. The epic story of Odysseus’ voyage and retaking of his throne is a poem that was a parable meant to teach the people of ancient Greece about the cultural values of their time. Respect for the unknown and heroism in battle, were both values that the ancient Greeks held dearly.

After the suitors had been killed and they arrived in the underworld escorted by Hermes they met Agamemnon and Achilles where they begin to discuss the events up north. Obviously one of the main topics of conversation is the suitor’s recent demise and Odysseus’ skill in taking these men from the land of the living and putting them in their present location. Odysseus is praised by even the people he killed at his skill in battle and craftiness. “And he cut Antinuous down, then shot painful arrows into the rest of us, aiming straight and true/ and down we went…” (24. 198-199). Odysseus shows little remorse for his deeds such as the killing of hundreds of young suitors. He cuts them down like dogs in his halls, even when a priest tries to beg at Odysseus’ feet he states: “there is no escape from grueling death- you die!” (22. 341). The Olympian gods show favoritism to those who are great fighters, such as when Odysseus and his father are fighting off the fathers of the suitors they are strengthened by Athena and through that strength Athena makes peace among the Ithacans. Skill in battle was extremely important to the ancient Greeks, they believed that it needed to be used in bitter rage and vengeance (as we see with the suitors) but also needed to be used to create peace (as we saw with the battle between Odysseus’ family, and the angry mob of suitors fathers).

Respect was one of the most important values for ancient Greeks, respect for Gods, and guests, or more generally respect for the unknown. Gods were very human and were ceceptable to mood swings, anger, and sadness, and the ancient Greeks believed that they needed to keep them pleased or bad fates would befall them in this world or the next. Odysseus is not in good favor of one god Poseidon, and only escapes by the skin of his teeth with the help of another god,