- Odysseus, The Odyssey Book 12, Page 278
For all of his redeeming qualities this is one of the first very obvious representations of one of his faults. He isn't modest, he is proud of who he is and while that is good to a certain extent it can also cause dissent between the ranks of men. His crew don't seem themselves as part of the journey because Odysseus takes credit for it. It is he who had courage, he who had the presence of mind - he is saying he is the one who saved them. If I were a crew member it would be devastating to believe that through it all my contribution meant nothing.
I tend to disagree with you on this point. I think Odysseus had every right to take credit for conquering the cyclops, because he did it without his crew members' help. The crew members, who have done quite a few reckless and fateful things throughout the journey, deserve this wakeup call. I also believe that there are instances throughout the story where Odysseus shows modesty and humility. He recognizes he's growing old, that some of his strength has left him. I think he's very human in this respect; he has him moments of self-pride and self-defeat.
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