Odysseus, who showed one of the greatest heroisms in the Trojan War described in Greek mythology, is known for the adventures he experienced on his way back from the war.
Let's take a closer look at the story of Odysseus, who was admired by even the gods and punished for his arrogance even though he was an ordinary man.
When Greek mythology is mentioned, the first thing that comes to many people's minds is gods, goddesses, and other supernatural creatures. True, but what makes Greek mythology so beloved is actually the ordinary human figures in the stories. Odysseus is one of them. Of course, don't pay attention to what we call ordinary, Odysseus is a man who admires even the gods with his courage and is punished at the same time.
In Greek and Roman mythology, Odysseus, also known by the Latin variant Ulysses, is a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in that same epic cycle.
Although there are countless stories about Odysseus, we encounter his greatest heroic adventure in the Trojan War. Our hero, who played a major role in the Greeks winning the war, experienced many different adventures when he returned home after the war, and these were interpreted as the punishment of the gods who were disturbed by his arrogance.
Odysseus, born on a small Greek island called Ithaca, also known as Little Cephalonia, is the son of Laertes and Anticleia. In another story, it is said that Anticleia was with Sisyphus before marrying Laertes and that Odysseus' father was actually Sisyphus.
Odysseus was with the physician Chiron throughout his youth. During this period, he received an injury to his leg during a wild boar hunt with his grandfather Autolykos. This wound is important because when he returns home after the Trojan War, he will be recognized thanks to this wound.
Odysseus became the king of Ithaca after his father, details of which are not given in Greek mythology. The selection of spouses is interesting. Odysseus first wanted Helena, but when he saw that there were too many suitors like him, he gave up and chose Icarios' daughter Penelope as his wife.
In order to marry Penelope, a condition was stipulated: Helena had to decide who would be her husband among the abundance of suitors. Odysseus told Helena to choose whatever she wanted. Helena chose Agamemnon's brother, Menelaus. Since this event would lead to the Trojan War in the future, we can say that Odysseus himself planted the seeds of the war in which he would later become the hero.
Odysseus, who changed the fate of the Trojan War, actually did not want to go to war:
Odysseus and Penelope had a son named Telemachus. Meanwhile, news spread that Paris had kidnapped Helen, and the Trojan War would begin. Odysseus did not want to leave his baby behind and go to war. When Agamemnon's soldiers came to his house, he tried to get away by pretending to be crazy.
Odysseus was sowing salt in his field as if it were seeds, he was using the plow instead of an ox, and he was trying to convince the soldiers that he was crazy. One of the soldiers understood this and placed Odysseus' baby in the middle of the field. When Odysseus changed his path so that his son would not be crushed while plowing like a madman, it became clear that he was not crazy and he fell on the path of war.
Odysseus writes a truly epic story in the Trojan War:
The Trojan War, in which the Greeks besieged the city of Troy with a large army, lasted for years. Finally, Odysseus came up with the idea of bringing a wooden horse into the city. This wooden horse was immediately prepared and the Greek army retreated. The Trojans accepted the horse as a gift of peace and took it into the city.
The Trojans drank heavily to celebrate the peace and passed out at night. Seeing them infiltrating, Odysseus and his soldiers on the horse went out and took the remaining Greek army into the city. What comes next is great destruction. In other words, Odysseus helped the Greeks win the Trojan War.
He was cursed by the gods for his evil deeds and arrogance:
Odysseus successfully fulfilled numerous duties such as advisor, warrior, ambassador, commander, and mediator during the Trojan War. In addition to coming up with the idea of the wooden horse, his creation of Achilles made him the greatest hero of the war. After the war, he took the largest and most important weapons for himself as spoils.
Odysseus, who was away from home for ten years because of the war, stayed away from home for another ten years on his way back. Because he stole a statue enchanted by Athena, caused Palamedes to be stoned to death, had Rhesus kill his horses while he was sleeping, and blinded Poseidon's son in one eye. So he was cursed by the gods. Eventually, this curse was lifted by Zeus.
While Odysseus and his ships went hunting, they hunted:
Odysseus, who set out to sea with his 12 ships after the Trojan War, was separated from the rest of the fleet due to a strong wind. When they saw an island belonging to the Kikons, they decided to approach it and plunder it. The people who saw them ran away. They killed the rest and plundered the wines, which had a very powerful effect.
When they passed out on the shore under the influence of the wine they had plundered, they were attacked by the Kikons during the day. The Cicons had helped the Trojans during the war. Odysseus and his crew suffered great losses in this attack and barely escaped with their lives. Thus began Odysseus' curse.
Other stories where Odysseus' curse is told:
In Greek mythology, there are 12 different stories that tell what Odysseus experienced because of the curse of the gods he was exposed to when he returned from the Trojan War. These; are titled Lotus, Going to the Cyclops, Aiola Island, Cannibals, Circe Island, Hades, Sirens, Skylla and Charybidis Adventures, Kalypso, Alkinoos' Palace, Return to Ithaca, Penelope's Test.
During all these adventures, Odysseus suffered a different wrath from each god he was cursed with, and he barely escaped with his life each time. In fact, the fact that Odysseus survived all these experiences was the reason for his forgiveness. Because although he received the wrath of the gods because of his arrogance, he also gained the admiration of the gods thanks to the heroism he showed during these wraths.
After many years, Odysseus returns home:
When Odysseus returns home after nearly twenty years, he is now an old and wounded man because of his experiences. The king of Ithaca has returned home, but not even the people, let alone his wife Penelope, recognize him. No matter what he does, he cannot prove to his wife or his people that he is the real Odysseus.
Then an idea comes to his wife Penelope's mind. When Odysseus was a young man, he was injured in his leg during a boar hunt with his grandfather. He is asked to immediately open his leg and show the wound. Odysseus opens his leg and shows his wound. When his people and his wife recognize him, the longing for years ends. Odysseus was finally recognized because the curse of the gods was lifted by Zeus thanks to his heroism.