The Odyssey

            Many of the old world epics of Greece and Rome dwell on grand subjects like conquest and warfare as in Homer's "Illiad", or duty to one's nation as a Roman, personified by Aeneas in Virgil's "The Aenied." In Homer's other epic poem, "The Odyssey", the protagonist Odysseus embarks on a ten year journey accross the ancient world to defy nature, rationaility and even the Gods to get home to his wife and child. This sounds like a modern romance novel on the outset, but Odysseus's quest, like many other Greek mythological figures, is trecherous and lacks regaurd for those around him. I believe that Odysseus's success does not make him a hero, but more of a heroic opportunist. The qualities of self-sacrifice and altrusim are lost on Odysseus as his men fall like flies along the way to get back home. Some drown in the ocean strom brought on by the God Poseidon and the Furries, others are eaten alive by the cyclops monster, and all the while Odysseus keeps moving forward, relativly unscarred himself. I can compare a warrior like Achillies to an opportunist like Odysseus in the same field because each posess heroic qualities but are not  actual heroes. This absolutist idea of herosim is what sets Greek and Roman Mythology apart from other world epics like Gilgamesh or Ramayana.http://www.litwithmccall.pbworks.com/