Odyssey
James Bernard 10-9-02 Professor Barloon Throughout The Odyssey Homer fills his pages with scenes of violence. There are varying uses and abuses of this violence, whether it is perpetrated by mortals or immortals. Homer, at times, seems to sanction violence, while at other times he writes about it from a negative view point, describing it as even worthy of punishment. Through one’s reading of this book, one can easily find instances where these two types of violence are portrayed. One can also see that both gods and man can be the source of any type of violent act. The Greek gods were firm believers in the use of violence as a means of revenge. If a god felt insulted or dishonored, in many cases, he would use violence to get even with his offender. For example, in Book XII, we find Odysseus and his men stranded on an island due to a severe storm. The one command that Odysseus gave to his men was that they did not slaughter Lord Helios’ (The Sun god) cattle. At one point, while on the island, Odysseus went to the interior of the island to pray to the gods.