Some may say Odysseus has too much pride from reading of his storytelling on his way back from Troy. This is evident when at the land of the savage Cyclops. Odysseus, after blinding the Cyclops taunted him calling, “So, Cyclops, no weak coward it was whose crew/ you bent to devour there in your vaulted cave-/ you with your brute force! Your filthy crimes…” Odysseus being arrogant toward the Cyclops “made the rage of the monster boil over” (9:531-…537) and throw one last boulder at Odysseus’ ship unnecessarily endangering his crew again. Odysseus’ pride overtook him again when Odysseus Told Polythemus “Cyclops-/if any man on the face of the earth should ask you/who blinded you, shamed so-say Odysseus” (9:558-560). His selfishness and lack of self-discipline in this event cost him his crews’ lives.
On the other hand one might say that Odysseus portrays some of his good attributes when Laomadas and Broadsea challenge him to a contest of sports. Odysseus countered by asking Laodamas, “why do you taunt me so with such a challenge? / Pains weigh on my spirit now, not your sports” (8:178-179). In the middle of Odysseus’ speech Broadsea interrupts “mocking him to his face. / I never took you for someone skilled in games, / the kind real men play throughout the world. / Not a chance” (8:184-187). As the reader can see after Broadsea’s comment Odysseus tells him there is more to life than strength and physique; that some people are known for their brains and intelligence. He goes on protecting his pride by telling Broadsea “Not even/ a god could improve those lovely looks of yours/ but the mind inside is worthless” (8:203-205). Odysseus shows Broadsea his faults and insults him speaking more fluently than Broadsea. The way Odysseus does this shows the reader how much he cares for his pride.
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