Odysseus was a very robust individual who was forced to leave his kingdom of Ithaca to embark on a journey to fight Greek battles and conquer Troy. To do this, he had to leave behind his newborn son Telemachus and his wife Penelope the queen. The war lasted 10 years, and once the battle was over, Odysseus and his fleet split up and attempted to return to Ithaca. There he was favored by Athena, goddess of craftsmanship, learning and the arts, and despised by Poseidon, god of the sea. His journey home went astray and Odysseus eventually returned home after 20 years. During his journey, Odysseus encountered many different situations where he made some respectable choices, but the poorer ones landed him in a pit of trouble. Odysseus made an extraordinary realization when he rejected Calypso's proposal to become immortal. She wanted to lie with him and keep Odysseus to herself on her island. Odysseus declined Calypso's offer without even the slightest hesitation, comparing his wife Penelope to Calypso: “I am quite aware that my wife Penelope is not at all so tall or so beautiful as you. She is just a woman, while you are an immortal. (Homer 62) Calypso's desire for Odysseus forced her to utter words to frighten him. “Odysseus, noble son of Laertes… but if only you could know how much suffering awaits you before returning to your homeland” (Homer 62) Odysseus maintained his awareness of remaining determined and pushed forward building a boat like a raft the materials carried away by the sea on the back of the Island. Odysseus' determination pushed him beyond the limits of normal men as he crossed the seas. His journey has led him to face many challenges that most men could not bear to complete. . half of the paper... a minimal appearance of Odysseus The Iliad focuses on the qualities needed to be a champion, and much of the plot is based on a love triangle that manifested itself in a war, which ultimately caused the death of Hector. The Odyssey illustrates the death of Achilles and is based on Odysseus trying to return home after the 10-year battle at Troy. The Odyssey constantly emphasizes the concept of what it takes to be a true hero is not all man needs intelligence, courage and perseverance to be considered a true hero. Both literary pieces recount battles and challenges that the characters fought to overcome. Works Cited Homer, Samuel Butler, Andrew Lang and Homer. The Iliad and the Odyssey. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1999. Print.Homer, Robert Fagles, and Bernard Knox. The Iliad. New York, NY, USA: Viking, 1990. Print.