Is Odysseus to blame?
Odysseus is apalogizing for Ajax’s death and blames it on Zeus when he says “For your death we grieved as we did for Achilles’ death- we grieved incessantly, true, and none’s to blame but Zeus, who hated Achaea’s fighting spearmen so intensely, Zeus sealed your doom” .
What causes Odysseus men to die?
Most of the men on his ship died following their stop on the island of Helios. While on Helios’ island, Odysseus’ men defied orders and ate the sacred cattle of Helios. As punishment, Zeus hit Odysseus’ ship with a lightning bolt.
Is Odysseus responsible for his own fate?
It’s clear that Odysseus is responsible for his own actions, like telling Polyphemos his name. It’s also clear that certain events are fated to happen from the start.
Who does Odysseus blame for his troubles with the Cicones?
In lines 156-162, Odysseus, who considers himself a great leader, blames his men’s refusal to obey him for the Cicones’ attack.
How can Odysseus be blamed for his men’s suffering?
In my opinion, Odysseus can blamed, either directly or indirectly for a lot of his men’s suffering – his actions often appear selfish, arrogant, and thoughtless to me – his attitude often doesn’t seem conducive to getting himself, and his men home safely and happily.
Why did Odysseus set sail across the salt water?
Odysseus’ men advised him to ‘let them take away some of the cheeses, then come back, drive the kids and lambs quickly out of the pens down to the good ship, and so set sail across the salt water’, but Odysseus ‘was not to be persuaded…though it would have been far better so’.
Why did Odysseus tell his men not to open the bag of winds?
Odysseus’ men, at many points throughout the story, display an attitude of recalcitrance towards him. For example, when Aeolus, ruler of the winds, gives Odysseus a bag of winds to aid him, Odysseus specifically tell them not to open them, but they disobey, believing that Aeolus has given Odysseus a bag of treasure.
How did Odysseus show himself to be a good leader?
However, Odysseus shows himself to be a good leader, as he plans and executes the blinding of Polyphemus and the men’s escape, which exhibits his intelligence, but he then ruins it by stealing Polyphemus’ sheep and shouting out ‘derisive words’ to him, boasting about his triumph.