A Greek epic hero is the main character of an epic poem who is generally strong and uses his strength to fight monsters throughout a long journey. “The Odyssey” written by Homer is an epic poem about a captain who takes a group of soldiers back to their homeland, Ithaca. Odysseus is considered an epic hero because he travels to various countries, fights monsters, and the gods interfere with the human world to make his journey more difficult. One of the traits that makes Odysseus an epic hero is that he travels to many distant lands. lands. For example, at the start of their journey, they were sailing to the land of the Cyclops (Homer line 109). It was there that Odysseus used his wit to outwit the Cyclops into believing that he and his crew were survivors of a shipwreck (Homer line 228-231). Odysseus and his men also went to the Land of the Dead to consult the blind prophet Tiresias. As Odysseus spoke to him, Teiresias told him his prophecy which included the danger and the "Destruction of the ship and the crew" (Homer c. 645-646). Saying this meant that Odysseus' path would be compromised in some way. Later, while the crew was sailing, they approached an island where mermaids lived. The mermaids sing a song so beautiful that all the sailors are tempted to jump into the ocean and drown (Homer's lines 690-693). Finally on his travel list was the island Thrinacia where the Sun God shelters his livestock. The different places Odysseus visits are one factor that makes him an epic hero, another equally relevant attribute would be the many monsters he encounters and fights. Additionally, throughout this epic poem, Odysseus and his men fight many battles against dangerous and beastly creatures. At the star...... middle of paper...... they were told not to consume the livestock or they would feel the wrath of Helios. However, they still ate cows (Homer lineage 884-893). When Helios discovered what had been done, he asked Zeus to take revenge on the ship's crew. In agreement, Zeus strikes a lightning bolt against their ship (Homer line 948-949). The gods' hatred of him made Odysseus' journey very difficult. In conclusion, there are many aspects to consider as an epic poem hero. Odysseus is a great example of this as he travels to many countries throughout his quest to return to Ithaca. Additionally, in this epic, he fights many monsters and must face the wrath of chosen gods who make his journey more difficult. Therefore, Odysseus is considered an epic hero because he travels to different countries, fights monsters and the gods interfere with the human world to make his journey more difficult..