“A bad day for adultery! Slow outstrips the swift”
Taken from book 8, the act of adultery is a sinful act. One of the many lessons taught in the epic of Odysseus, the novel focuses on the return home of a king and the endeavors he faces. Upon starting the story I focused mainly on the plot, what will happen, who he will meet, etc. The epic is far more a story, instead it teaches readers lessons of life and how to deal with problems. An example being the previous quote. The Odyssey takes such a sin and blows it up, it creates a descriptive painting of anger, revenge and punishment for the crime. Think before you act, the main take away from this scenario, in fact a large takeaway from books 1-8.
Throughout the novel Odysseus encounters a situation that could lead to different outcomes. An example book 5, line 460, as Odysseus is near landfall, any attempt to near the coast line guarantees death. If attempted the waves will either crush him against the jagged rocks or rugged reefs. Instead of swimming into the coast line and hoping for the best, he stops and weighs his options. It seems time has stood still as he talks over what each scenario will lead to if attempted. Doing so the antagonist makes the wiser decision each time he consults with himself. This is done again as he approaches Nausicaa and her maids on the river’s edge and again when he is at sea and the Leucothea tells him to leave his raft and tie a scarf around his waist for safety. Bright minded Odysseus does not jump into a situation, he takes a step back, plays out each scenario and wisely picks the one with low risk. Every time this is done, he comes out on top. It’s no wonder why he was able to come away from Troy alive.
Odysseus has a mind that seems immortal compared to characters he meets. Every obstacle the gods place upon him, he does not doubt himself or go into a panic, determination is automatically programmed into his mind. The main lesson that ties this novel together is his will to push forward. As cliché as it sounds, especially coming from me, he pushes through each task he is given. Odysseus is able to do what many cannot. Once he has something locked into his head, there is no stopping him from prevailing. As mortal as he is, why the gods tinker with this man is beyond his knowledge. It seems he is more god like than they are.