Modesty?

Odysseus has been telling the Phaeacians the story of what has happened to him since Book 9. Since these are the people who are going to bring him home, as well as the fact that Odysseus is known to have a huge ego, one would think he would try to make himself look as good as possible. However, throughout his story he has made mistakes and bad decisions one would think he would leave out or lie about. One example of this is when he partially blames himself for the crew releasing the winds from the bag, saying "A mutinous crew undid me - that and a cruel sleep "(Book 10, 74). I have thought that this is a sign of his honesty since he would not make himself look so flawed in the story if it were not true, but it could also be a sign of how cunning and careful he is with his words.

If Odysseus does tell the story the way we think he would, it would probably make Odysseus seem perfect and nearly flawless while all of his problems can be blamed on his the crew and the gods. However, a story like this would seem unrealistic and conceited, making his lies shine through his shroud of perfection. Therefore, Odysseus knows that it is not a good idea to lie too much, but that does not mean he must be fully honest. If he has been telling a few lies, he is probably trying to "compromise" between the truth and overly obvious lying. This is a common technique in literature and real life. When one is in a situation where it is simply impossible to make oneself appear completely innocent or perfect, that person might try to lie and focus on a different crime or flaw, one that is less significant than the real one. People who hear the lie may believe it because they would not expect a comment targeted against oneself to be told if it is not true.

For example, when Odysseus and a few of his men are in Polyphemus' cave, Odysseus decides to make them stay until the host comes back because he wishes to see "what gifts he'd give. / But he proved no lovely sight to my companions" (Book 9, 258-259). Odysseus makes it clear that he is the one who gets them trapped in the cave. One would think this is an honest self-criticism, but it really is not that bad, considering Odysseus makes the decision because of his belief in ancient customs, showing his virtue and making him seem better than Polyphemus, and he also happens to be the one who figures out how to get them freed.