Hubris in the Odyssey

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The Odyssey is a poem, written by Homer, about Odysseus’ journey home after the Trojan War. It is broken up into different stories about the things that Odysseus and his men encounter on their journey back to Ithaca. Throughout the story, Homer shows us signs of Hubris from Odysseus and his men. Odysseus had to make him feel good by bragging to the Cyclops as he escaped from the Cyclops’ island. His men had a sense of hubris when they found a bag they thought held treasure and became jealous that they hadn’t received a bag of treasure for themselves. His men also experience hubris while starving to death on the island of the cattle of the sun god. With Odysseus and his men experiencing Hubris with the Cyclops, the bag of treasure, and the sun god’s cattle; there is little chance that the god’s will let them return to Ithaca. Hubris can be defined as excessive pride which is something Odysseus has trouble with and is shown well in the story about his encounter with the Cyclops, Polyphemus. During his time as Polyphemus’ prisoner, he was able to stay calm and use his wits to outsmart the Cyclops and escape. Unfortunately, his pride caught up with him. As they begin to set sail Odysseus bragged, “O Cyclops! Would you feast on my companions? / Puny, am I, in a Caveman’s hand? / How do like the beating we gave you, / you damned cannibal? Eater of Guests / under your roof! Zeus and the gods have paid you!” (Homer 768). As he is saying this, his hubris is beginning to creep up on him because he thinks he is the best person ever after tricking Polyphemus. His crew is seeing this and begins to warn him of what is happening (Homer 769) yet he disregards their warnings. His hubris then takes full control as he says, “Cyclops, / if ever mortal man inquire / how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him / Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: / Laertes’ son, whose home

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