This all links to the 3 values shown in a Homeric Hero (Arête, Xenia, and Kleos) because every mortal’s life is composed of reaching for that status to reach fate on the lips of men. It relates to decisions, how decisions change lives. Odysseus’s decision is whether or not to live life to his capability. This is shown by Tiresias’s fate as he is brought down to the underworld when he makes foolish mistake. This warns Odysseus to be wary and cautious of his surroundings to be successful, just like how Telemachus must do the same to get to the harbor safely. Odysseus is taught to make the best of the time he spends down on earth as a living person. Odysseus also learns to hang on to your family through Agamemnon’s story. (11.458-492) “ But she, that whore, she turned her back on me” This shows how trust is needed in a family for it to survive, and for Odysseus to hang on to his family Without hope, recklessness will take over and dignity as well. Agamemnon’s dignity and pride was taken away as his own wife planned in his murder. It shows for Odysseus to effectively use his time with life, he must never forget who he is and what he has endured. From Teiresias, again and again he is reminded that he needs to take control, or the balance between temptation and greed will be overcome. He also is reminded that even though Teiresias has been stripped of his sight, he is not stripped of his courage and dignity as he sings the way he does. He expresses his thought through his spirit, and gives advice to others like Odysseus the bard, gives advice and guidance to others. He learns to create a bond within ourselves by having trust to be the best we can be since “ balance is Best in All Things”. Leave the beasts unharmed, your mind set on home, and you may all still reach Ithaca- bent with hardship, true- but harm them in any way, and I can see it now: your ship destroyed, your men destroyed as well” (11.125-128) this shows that through this book, the stress is on temptation and having control instead of recklessness. Odysseus needs to be wise about choices unless he will return home, a hero lost in despair without hope. This relates to Agamemnon’s decision earlier in the Iliad and how it backfired which killed many more Greek men, and led to the death of Greek loved Achilles. This information all suggests that Odysseus must return to Ithaca to restore balance to Ithaca, since it is filled with brazen suitors… devouring all of Ithaca’s resources. If he doesn’t, then he will be remembered not as hat he wants to be. Achilles, Agamemnon, Teiresias were never buried and properly sent to death. It tells Odysseus that if he makes too many mistakes about his decisions, he will never reach that Kloes and even be remembered for what he did. That would disregard all of his mother’s and Achilles words, making life seem worthless. All this information is shown by Odysseus in Book 12 as he makes the choice of passing Scylla to have a better life in the future by looking out for himself and others.
In My Life, the significance of his meeting with the heroes of the underworld immediately tells me to find balances in life. Its all about balance since “ Balance is Best in All Things”. The balance between school and other things such as sports; leisure time makes you think of how your decisions affect your life. Going to school and acceling is the main purpose of life, then starting a family and making a change. But, having fun is what life is all about. So, we often to find our balance and what life is. We also have to figure out what we want from life and how to achieve that. If we slack and have no bearing on our lives, just as Odysseus mom says, it will flitter off like a dream. But, is having little fun the answer? So our lives are related to the book by the topics and themes that come up during our time living. Life for us is short, and we should try to make the most of it by finding balances and knowing what we want. Whatever life gives at us, take it and go. Not all of us want to be the president, but all of us wish to make a change in the world and leaving it better then it started out as. We reach Kloes by enduring life and living it as best as we can be. However you choose life, it does not matter since we all live about the same quantity of years. How we live it is our to decipher and our decision to make. Odysseus also shows us to value family since life is so short. An uncle recently passed away, and he tried his best to change the world. But life was too short and he woke up, and now it is all gone. It inspires me to do strive to do better, just as stories inspire the Greeks to reach for Arête.
By Odysseus teaching us, we have the responsibility of teaching others. Traditions and history is passed down from time to time. Our history gets passed down, and their history gets passed down. We must make the most of our time here on Earth to be considered “Heroes”. Odysseus life lessons is important to the world can be related to the Iraq War the USA is currently in. Why make war if our lives are so short? Why put more stress on our lives, as it is Soldiers die everyday, in wars. Serving our country might be the path of some, but is that really how we want to spend our only lives? Do you want to be remembered for just another person for stopping a war, or someone who single handedly stops a war? Odysseus shows us to be sneaky, and to use insight such as his Trojan horse to make the most of our lives to reach Kloes. It’s the little things that add up to big things, so make use of what you have cause it is better then death. In Odysseus’s visit to the underworld Odysseus learns the truth about life: It’s short, live life to its fullest, value your family.
