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After Odysseus passes Penelope’s test he proclaims that the suitors are his next target and says, “We’ll see if I can hit it - Apollo give me glory” (439. 7).  Before his journey Odysseus believed that he did not need help to gain honor and that he was above the gods, however, he now knows that he was wrong and that he should humbly accept help when he gets it.

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The disguised Odysseus participates in a contest to see who is the most fit to marry Penelope. The other men can’t even string Odysseus’ bow, but Odysseus proves himself in a show of great strength from him and the gods. “So with virtuo ease Odysseus strung his mighty bow.. and Zeus cracked the sky with a bold, his blazing sign, and the great man who had borne so much rejoiced at last…” The way Odysseus proved himself was a show of strength, and was deeply respected because of the amplification from the gods.

Penelope tells Odysseus about the competition that will decide which suitor finally gets to marry her, it takes great skill and is something only Odysseus was able to do, “‘The hand that can string the bow with greatest ease, that shoots an arrow clean through all twelve axes--he’s the man I follow, yes, forsaking this house’” (408.649-651). Only a man of great strength and skill would be able to accomplish this task, displaying characteristics of an epic hero.

Odysseus prepared to fire an arrow to reveal his true identity to the suitors after being challenged by them. He says “but another target’s left that no one’s hit before- we’ll see if I can hit it- Apollo give me glory” (439. 6-7).  Odysseus is the only one who can string and fire his own bow because it takes great strength which only an epic hero has.

When being treated to by servants in Ithaca, a scar that Odysseus had on his leg was obvious. Odysseus then proceeds to explain that he got that scar when “the white tusk of a wild boar had gashed his leg, hunting on Parnassus with Autolycus and his sons” (405.526-527). Odysseus’s tales show his bravery while he fought in the Trojan War. He gives us details of the struggles he endured which enable us to understand his bravery during this time. Odysseus therefore represents the bravery of a true epic hero by leading his men without fear and having scars to show for it.

Telemachus runs off to arm himself to aid his father against the suitors, and when he and his servants return to his father’s side, “...[Telemachus and the servants] flanked Odysseus, mastermind of war, and he, as long as he’d arrows left to defend himself, kept picking suitors off in the palace, one by one…” (443.123-126). Odysseus was able to defend himself against multiple men without the help of his son, a task that an ordinary man would find nearly impossible.

Odysseus has finally returned to his home, Ithaca, and says, “‘ I’m right here, here in the flesh-myself- and home at last, after bearing twenty years of brutal hardship.’’’ (431. 233).  Odysseus has beaten the wrath of Poseidon, escaped the violent Charybdis and Scylla, has survived the powers of the sorceress Circe, and left the island of Calypso that no one ever leaves, which lasted about twenty years after fighting in the Trojan War.   Odysseus is identified as an Epic Hero because he survived and went through many events that shaped him into a strong and powerful hero.

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~When Odysseus told his son to hide the weapons from the suitors, "Telemachus did his father's will at once" (391.15). Even after Odysseus was gone for the first 20 years of his son's life, Telemachus still obeyed his father's wishes without hesitation.
~Penelope, Odysseus’s faithful wife, “yearns for Odysseus, always, [her] heart pines away” (394. 151-152). The loyal Penelope stays true to her love after twenty years, and still desires his return.

~As Odysseus lies awake at night he hears “ The maids who whored in the suitor’s bed each night”(410.9). The maids are suppose to be loyal to Penelope, yet they betray her by sleeping with the enemy.
~After Odysseus reveals his true identity to the swineherd and the cowherd, they  “broke into tears and threw their arms around their master…” (431.250).  After 20 years, the swineherd and the cowherd still remain loyal to Odysseus, and are overjoyed to see him back in Ithaca.
~As Telemachus hangs the unfaithful maids, their final actions were “as doves or thrushes beating their spread wings”(453.494). They did not uphold their values of loyalty and were punished accordingly.
~While Odysseus is killing the suitors, Telemachus tells Odysseus, “Stop don’t cut him down! This one’s innocent” (450.376). Compared to the suitors, the bard had done no wrong towards Odysseus and his family and showed loyalty throughout Odysseus’ absence.

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Paige - During her conversation with Odysseus (who was disguised as an old man), Penelope orders her maids to make a bed for him “with bedding, blankets and lustrous spreads to keep him warm” (400.365). Despite the fact that the man she was speaking to was a stranger as well as a beggar, Penelope offers him a place in her home, thus demonstrating her hospitality.
Sabrina - While Odysseus was disguised as a beggar, he had a conversation with Penelope about Odysseus’ whereabouts, and how much he was missed in his kingdom. Towards the end of the conversation, Penelope starts to talk about the treatment of this beggar and says “‘frail as the woman is, she’ll wash your feet. Up with you now, my good old Eurycleia,’” (402.405-406). Penelope is showing that even though Eurycleia is missing Odysseus and quite old, she will still wash this beggar's feet because she is so hospitable. It also shows that even though Penelope is upset that Odysseus is gone, she is still hospitable towards kind strangers.

Sophie - When feasting with the suitors, Ctesippus, is angered by Telemachus’ hospitality towards the beggar. Ctesippus takes his anger out by “grabbing an oxhoof out of a basket where it lay, With a brawny hand he flung it straight at the king” (420.334-336). By lashing out at the beggar Ctesippus shows a lack of hospitality.

Kylie - Antinous mistreats the beggar during the public feast, leading Penelope to stand up for him by saying, “‘how impolite it would be, how wrong to scant whatever guest Telemachus welcomes to his house’” (434.351-352). Antinous knows no boundaries when it comes to getting what he wants, which in this case is removing the beggar from Odysseus’ halls.

Sydnee - Antinous is exemplifying his high standing power as the head suitor, by “lifting a gorgeous golden loving-cup in his hands” (439.8). Antinous is also showing inhospitality as he shows his wealth though the expensive wine he drinks, to the “two handed goblet” (439.10).

TJ - Odysseus finally reveals himself to the suitor, yelling at them because they had, “bled my house to death” (440.37). Odysseus is angered at the suitors as he showed hospitality throughout the years, yet they exploited his kindness and used it with no remorse.

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Pride/Patience & Humility

Penelope tries to offer the disguised Odysseus sleeping accommodations and further hospitality but he denies her offers saying, “‘blankets and glossy spreads? They’re not my style’” (401.386).  Through Odysseus’ journey he has learned many lessons in the importance of humility, and he has discovered that if he displays his humbleness and is willing take less, he will get more than if he displays pride and arrogance.

Odysseus lets his anger overtake him after seeing one of his maids meet with a suitor in the middle of the night, but he, “forced his spirit into submission” (411.25). Odysseus realizes that to avoid further problems he must be patient with others and prevent his emotions from becoming too strong.

When Odysseus is insulted by a man for appearing like a beggar he has “no reply” and simply “shook his head” (416.201).  Odysseus knows that it is better to be patient with the inappropriate and rude actions and lose some of his honor, rather than to fight back and possibly face consequences in the future.

As the suitors engaged in Penelope’s archery contest, suitor after suitor tries and fails to string the bow; as a result, Eurymachus decides to try to even the odds by holding the bow near the fire “to heat the weapon. But he failed to even bend it so”, resulting in failure (432. 276). Eurymachus cannot accept failure because he believes that he is far greater and stronger than he really is, showing a lot of pride.

Odysseus, who is still in the form of a beggar, offers the amuse the suitors by attempting to string Odysseus’ bow, but the suitors break out in rage “fearing he might string the polished bow” (433.320).  The suitors’ excessive pride prevents them from accepting that a man who is “below them” could possibly complete a task that they cannot.

“We’ll see if I can hit it - Apollo give me glory” (439. 7)

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When Penelope is caught unweaving her tapestry, the suitors "denounced [her] harshly” and forced her to “finished it off” (19.174-175).  In this moment, Penelope is expected to follow the orders of the suitors and meet their demands.
When the nurse is about to reveal Odysseus’ identity to Penelope, he “clutches the nurse’s throat” and threatens to kill her (405.544). Despite the care and trust that has always been bestowed from the nurse, he is quick to count her life as insignificant and throw her into the pool of other women.
Odysseus ponders if he should “kill [the suitors] one and all or let them rut with their lovers one last time” (410.13).  The hero contemplates if he should give the suitors the last pleasure of falling into the security and claiming their property for a final time.
Arguing with his mother, Telemachus orders his mother to “tend to [her] own tasks” because he “holds the reins of power in the house” (235.390,394). He suggests that her work is insignificant compared to Telemachus’ doings. Compared to modern day standards, telemachus’ relationship with his mother contrasts greatly. The role of authority now would be in the hands of the parent, not depending on the gender.
Before Odysseus begins his rampage of killing his disloyal servants, he degrades the “sluts” and leaves them with the final title of the “suitors’ whores” (453.490). Despite the loyalty the servants had shown them, the dishonesty they had displayed when sleeping with the suitors was enough to sentence them to death in the eyes of Odysseus. Calling Telemachus over, Odysseus orders him to gather the disloyal servants and “march the women out of the great hall--between the roundhouse and the courtyards strong stockade” (453.468-469). The women are nothing but misplaced objects that had done him wrong.

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