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   bullgatortail Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   Although it is Odysseus's headstrong behavior and belief that man does not need the gods to control his destiny, the Homerian hero nevertheless demonstrates his reverence throughout much of "The Odyssey." He shows piety to both the gods who favor him and to the humans who love him. His faith in his protector, Athena, rarely waivers. He makes a sacrifice before Tiresias in the Underworld and speaks with the spirits of his mother and his ally Agamemnon. He accepts the help of the sea goddess Leukothea to escape drowning by Poseidon. His desire to return to his wife Penelope motivates him for years. His love of his own crew is only surpassed by their devotion to their leader, and he saves them from disaster time and again before a final shipwreck left Odysseus alone.

   In the excerpt below, Odysseus prays to the river god:

   Hear me, my lord, whoever you are. I come ... in great need to you, a fugitive from the sea and the curse of Poseidon; even for immortal gods that man has a claim on their mercy who comes to them as a wandering man, in the way that I now come to your current and to your knees after much suffering. Pity me then, my lord. I call myself your supplicant.’ (5.445-454)

   And later:

   Keep your joy in your heart, old dame; stop, ... do not raise up the cry. It is not piety to glory so over slain men. These were destroyed by the doom of the gods and their own hard actions...’ (22.411-413)

   Sources:

   http://messagenetcommresearch.com/myths/bios/poseidon.html

   http://www.shmoop.com/odyssey/piety-quotes.html

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   Posted by bullgatortail on Monday October 12, 2009 at 6:52 PM