MonicaContreras Glentzer English8b November13th,2013 Itisbettertobesmartthanstrong Youdonotneedtobestrongtobeahero.InTheOdyssey,byHomer,thethemeIt isbettertobesmartthanstrongismadeevidentbyOdysseusbehavior.Theepicpoem isaboutOdysseustryingtoreturnhometoIthaca,Greece.Throughouthisjourneyhe encountersmanyobstaclesandmakesmanyenemies. InthelandoftheLotusEaters,Odysseussaveshismenfromdanger.Theyland thereaftertendaysofbeingoutintheseatogetwater.Odysseussendssomeofhismen toexplorethelandandthepeople...withtheLotusEaters,whoshowednowilltodous harm,onlyofferingsweetlotustoourfriends,(9.4143).Theywerepeacefulpeople,but eatingthelotusflowerwasdangerous.Thosewhosuccumbedandatetheflowerforgot abouteverything....

thosewhoatethishoneyedplant,theLotus,nevercaredtoreport,nor returntheylongedtostayforever,browsingonthenativebloom,forgetfuloftheir homeland,(9.4447).WhenthishappenedOdysseusgrabbedhismenandfledthevile land.Idrovethem,allthreewailing,totheships,tiedthemdownundertheirrowing benches,calledtotherest:Allhandsaboardcome,clearthebenchandnoonetastethe Lotus,oryouloseyourhopeofhome,(9.4852).Odysseusknewthelotusflowerwasbad sohedidnoteatit,leavinghimsanesohecouldsavehismenfromoneofthemany dangerstheyhadtoface. InthelandoftheCyclopes,OdysseusandhismencouldnotdefeatPolyphemus

withstrengthsotheyhadtooutwithim.WhenPolyphemusbeganeatingOdysseusmen, Odysseuscameupwithaplantoescape.HisbigplanwastostabPolyphemusintheeye (9.230240).Thefirststeptohisplanwastogethisadversarydrunk(9.255261).Hedid notwantthecyclopstokillanymoreofhismenthanhealreadyhad,soheliedaboutthe amountofmenhehad(9.186190).Odysseustoldthewretchedcyclopsthathisname wasNohbdy(9.271).SowhentheotherCyclopesaskedwhohadblindedhimhewould sayNohbdyandtheywouldthinkhewasplayingajoke.Oncetheplanwascompleted Odysseustiedhismenandhimselfunderasheep(9.339340).Hedidnotdefeat Polyphemuswithstrength,butwithwits. WhenOdysseusreturnedtoIthacahehadtobecautiousandmakeaplanbecause hewasoutnumberedbythesuitors.Hedisguisedhimselfasabeggarandgoesintothe palace.Makingplanswiththosewhowerefaithfultohim(21.173178).Antinous,oneof thesuitors,callsodysseusasmuttyslave,whenheaskstotryhishandatthebow(21. 154).Odysseusdoesntannouncewhoheisuntilhisloyalservantslockthedoorsand Telemachusgetstheweapons.HesaysIamhome,forIamOdysseus,(22.77).Once everyoneisoutofshocktheytrytogetforgivenessfromOdysseusbutheisimplacable. AthenagivesOdysseussupernaturalpowersandhekillseveryonethatwasunfaithfulto him(22.193199).Hekeepshisidentityasecret,untiltherighttimecomesforhimto defeathisadversaries. Clearly,inTheOdyssey,thethemeofcunningoverstrengthisprovedbyOdysseus behaviorthroughoutthestories.First,inthelandoftheLotusEaters.Then,inthelandof theCyclopes.AndfinallyinhishomecomingtoIthaca.Odysseusprovesthatyoudonot

needtobestrongtobeahero.