"I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, men think me formidable for cunning in peace and war: this fame has spread to the ends of heaven ." (1047) Odysseus is an epic hero in the Odyssey and displays three character traits that definitely stand out to readers. These traits are intelligence, compassion and determination. When trapped in a cave and held captive, Odysseus makes the hasty but intelligent decision to spare his captor's life. His captor was indeed a Cyclops. Odysseus was astute in his decision to spare the life of the Cyclops, because he and his crew were unable to move the more robust and daring ones who blocked the escape route. Odysseus knew that if he killed the Cyclops, he and his men would die along with it. Another story where Odysseus shows his intelligence is "The Sirens". “Moving forward I brought the wax down the line and spread it thick over their ears.” (1072) In the story "The Sirens" Ulysses shows his extraordinary ingenuity when he plugs the crew's ears with beeswax. Thanks to Ulysses's appropriate solution, the crew was protected by the seductive song of the Sirens...