Odysseus’s bravery can be clearly acknowledged during his confrontations with the Cyclops. Due to his arrogant self, he boasts to the Cyclops, “Cyclops, if anyone ever asks you how you came by your blindness, tell him your eye was put out by Odysseus, sacker of cities, the son of Laertes, who lives in Ithica.” (9.501-505). After defeating him, while not intellectually smart, but still brave, he yells at the Cyclops and tells him his name. Meeting the Cyclops purely for means of curiosity with no fear, boasting about not needing Gods and defying Poseidon, and saying that he did not need Gods to beat the Trojans, are all …show more content…
His men are affected by his emotions, and it is difficult for him to stay positive. Odysseus has a difficult time making normal decisions due to his emotional state. Once Odysseus has defeated Polyphemus by stabbing out his one eye blinding him forever, his emotions of victory and arrogance over take him. Polyphemus calls out to Poseidon, “Grant that Odysseus, raider of cities, never see his home again” (9.486-487). Becoming ignorant and taunting the Cyclops, Odysseus caused Polyphemus to pray to Poseidon and make his journey home to Ithaca longer and more agonizing. With a longer, more terrible journey it decreases Odysseus’s hope making it very emotionally straining to continue on in life, and the journey, leading to more negative situations bringing out the worst in