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<!-- EDIT BELOW THIS LINE Shirley Wynn Dr. Paquette English 2205 6 September 2014 Wisdom Made the Hero Epic heroes invite images of big, burly, brawny men, warriors on the battlefield. Both Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey and Gilgamesh in The Epic of Gilgamesh matched these images, but what differentiated these two characters was not their military prowess, but the choices each made on their journey. Odysseus lived his life with the specific purpose of returning to his beloved home while Gilgamesh wondered aimlessly, returning home broken and defeated. Odysseus demonstrated the cunning of a hero while Gilgamesh showed his anti-heroic trait of stubbornness. Odysseus’ journey encompassed a ten-year trip filled with challenges, victories, and defeats. His cunning proved beneficial in many of the obstacles that he faced. One such obstacle was when he battled Polyphemus the Cyclops; he saved himself as well as his men by tricking Polyphemus by telling him that his name was “Noman” (434), after that scheme was successful, he had the brilliant idea of attaching themselves to Polyphemus’ sheep to escape the cave unnoticed. His cunning was also displayed in the form of flattery. When he had reached The Phaeacians Island, and first met Nausicaa, King Alcinous’ daughter, he said to her “I think you are most like great Zeus’ daughter, Artemis. You have her looks, her stature, her form” (399). The next incident of his brains being more powerful than his brawn was when he listened to the advice of Nausicaa about trailing behind her so the town’s people would not speak ill of her being in the company of a man (403). King Alcinous would not have welcomed him had he caused shame or gossip about his daughter and Odysseus used that reasoning when the King showed displeasure with his daughter. He said “do not rebuke your blameless daughter…I refused out of fear and shame, thinking your heart might cloud over with anger” (411). It was not until the King accepted him that he let on that he was the famous Odysseus; he wanted to ensure he had an understanding of their integrity before he shared his true identity. Not only did he use cunning and flattery, he also played on the sympathies of a woman’s heart. When he told his story to King Alcinous’ wife, he said about his stay on the island of the goddess Calypso, “she never touched my heart. I spent seven years with [her, and] the immortal clothes she gave me were always wet with my tears” (410). What woman would not respond to such a brave show of vulnerability? Odysseus certainly knew how to secure favor with those he came into contact. Granted, some of his cunning was the obedience to Athena’s advice, but wisdom also takes the form of obedience. One such time his obedience proved beneficial was when he took the advice of Hermes on the island of Circe. He told Odysseus to eat an herb that would make him impervious to Circes magic, he also instructed him to draw his sword so that she would be enticed by him. All Hermes said was true, and Odysseus was able to have his men released. The next incident of taking advice was when he listened to the advice of Circes; he learned how he would continue on his journey to “Hades” (450). She explained how to make it through the challenges to come and Odysseus took her sayings under advisement and was once again successful. Once Odysseus reached Ithaca, Athena continued her support, “[they] plotted death for the insolent suitors” (486); she promised him victory over them, and assisted him with his disguise as a beggar. Throughout his journey, Odysseus used cunning and wisdom, securing his role as a hero. Unlike Odysseus, Gilgamesh focused more on his physical strength than his mental strength. Early in his story, he was shown as an arrogant brute, “he strode back and forth, lording it like a wild bull, his head thrust high” (101). The leadership of his troops was described as “he marches at the rear, defender of his comrades…protector of his troops” (100). Once Enkidu was introduced, Gilgamesh was not as harsh on his people, but he still wanted to fight. He told Enkidu “There dwells in the forest the fierce monster Humbaba, you and I shall kill him” (110). When Enkidu expresses concern over the battle, Gilgamesh changed his tactic from defending from the rear to leading the charge. He said, “I will go before you” (111). At this time he is not afraid of death, he says, “if I fall…, I will establish my name” (111). When the elders advised Gilgamesh against the upcoming battle against Humbaba, he scoffed at them, not yielding to their advice. Gilgamesh does not use his brain, he trusts in his own wisdom, foregoing the advice from the wise elders. After the battle with Humbaba, he demonstrates his lack of wisdom in taunting the goddess, Ishtar. She had approached him with the offer of him becoming her husband. Instead of a graceful declination of her advances, he hurled insults at her, “you are a brazier that goes out when it freezes, a flimsy door that [does not keep out the cold]” (124). He did not stop with one or two insults, but continued his tirade against her. She sends “The Bull of Heaven” (126) to wreak havoc on the town, but with their strength, Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeated it. After the defeat, he further inflamed Ishtar; he took the horns of her bull and had the artisan use them to make a statue for his room. He continued to show his lack of wisdom when he went through the town saying, “at whom we flung the haunch in our passion, Ishtar, she has no one” (128). However, after Enkidu died, Gilgamesh repented and presented offerings to Ishtar, beseeching her to accept Enkidu and “welcome [him] and walk at his side” (134). For a moment, one thinks he may use wisdom to guide him. Unfortunately, after he made offerings to the gods, he went on his aimless wonderings, “afraid of death” (134). During this journey, he continued to ignore the advice of others. Siduri, the tavern keeper told him to give up on trying to find eternal life and enjoy the life he had, “the eternal life you are seeking you shall not find…make every day a delight” (138), but he did not heed her advice; he continued on looking to escape death and obtain eternal life. Once Gilgamesh crossed the “waters of death” (140), and reached Utanapishtim, he did not listen to his advice either. Utanapishtim told him that death is a part of life and that he had “prolong[ed his] woe” (142) by insisting on this journey. Although Gilgamesh learned the secret of regaining his youth, and successfully used his strength to obtain the plant, he was again thwarted and returned home worse than he left. Although Odysseus used his brilliance and Gilgamesh his strength, both heroes made fatal choices that altered their outcome. Contrary to his brilliance, Odysseus’ disregard of the advice his men gave him about inflaming the anger of Polyphemus, caused the many years of trials and the loss of his men that followed. If Odysseus would have listened to his crew and not taunted Polyphemus with “tell them Odysseus” blinded you, he would not have garnered the hatred of Poseidon, been stranded on Calypsos Island, nor lost all his men. He and his men would have made it home safely with additional years to celebrate. If early in Gilgamesh’s story, he would have heeded the elder’s advice and not embarked on the adventure to kill Humbaba, how differently his story would have been. If Gilgamesh and Enkidu had not started their journey against Humbaba, they would not have defeated him and brought the attention of Ishtar to Gilgamesh. If her attention had not been aroused, Gilgamesh would not have insulted her and she would not have sent the Bull of Heaven against the town. There would have been no opportunity for Enkidu to throw the head towards the gods angering them further. This one choice to ignore advice cost Gilgamesh and Enkidu the possibility of many happy years together. Gilgamesh and Odysseus may have similarities on their journey, times of triumph and times of loss, times for cunning and times for power. One thing they both shared was wasted time, Odysseus on the island with Calypso and Gilgamesh wandering the land. They also shared the trait of sending their men out first, Gilgamesh when he led from behind and Odysseus when he sent his men to scout out the lands. Another shared trait is their boastings. It is critical trait that cost them both, Odysseus boasting to Polyphemus after blinding him and Gilgamesh boasting of his rejection of Ishtar. Although both showed weaknesses, it is the cunning of Odysseus that proves mightier than the physical strength of battle. Odysseus’ determination to make it home victoriously using his cunning fortifies his place as a true hero; whereas Gilgamesh’s physical strength does not override the stubbornness unbefitting a hero, ending his tale in defeat.

Works Cited Homer. “The Odyssey.”. Trans. Stanley Lombardo. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. 3rd ed. Vol. A. New York: Norton, 2012. 222-229, 332-622. Print. Unknown. “The Epic of Gilgamesh.” Trans. Sin-leqi-unninni. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Gen. ed. Martin Puchner. 3rd ed. Vol. A. New York: Norton, 2012. 95 -151. 	Print.