Altruism, reliability and sacrifice can be words to describe a hero. In Homer's The Odyssey, although he is portrayed as a hero, Odysseus' actions seemed to prove otherwise. He shows very minimal hero traits and thinks more of himself than others. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay First of all, Odysseus is not considered a hero in the sense that he blinded a cyclops, Polyphemus, the son of Poseid, after tricking him. The conflict began when Odysseus and his men arrived in the land of Kyklopes and after discovering Polyphemus' cave, they entered uninvited and roughly ate his food. When Polyphemus arrived, Odysseus lied and threatened him if he did not treat his “guests” properly. Odysseus should be prosecuted for the damage he caused by breaking into Polyphemus' house because he took advantage of Polyphemus and violated a law about breaking and entering. As Odysseus and his men entered Polyphemus' house, they took advantage of Polyphemus in many ways. First, Odysseus tricked Polyphemus: “Kyklops, try some wine” and waited until “trash and redness overwhelm him” (Homer 155). By offering Polyphemus wine and serving three large bowls of intoxicating liquor, Odysseus intended to confound Polyphemus drunk, and that is precisely what he did. Odysseus and his men then took a hand point and "thrust it deep into the eye of his crater" after successfully getting Polyphemus drunk. Not only did Odysseus attack Polyphemus, but he also took advantage of his unconscious state to harm him. When Polyphemus suddenly woke up, Odysseus taunted him stupidly: “My name is Nohbody…everyone calls me Nohbody” (Homer 156). This was another example of Odysseus taking advantage of Polyphemus because he cruelly deceived Polyphemus into believing his name was Nohbody and when Polyphemus called on his compatriot Kyklopes for help, he was made ridiculous, proclaiming that " Nohbody” had attacked him. Odysseus taking advantage of Polyphemus, he and his men also violated his privacy by breaking into his cave. After confirming that Polyphemus was not home, Odysseus refused to leave, proclaiming, “I wanted to see the caveman, what he had to offer” (Homer 151). Although Polyphemus was not at home, Odysseus explained to his men that whatever the situation, he was entering the cave uninvited simply because he wanted to confront the Kyklops when he returned. Indeed, Ulysses and his men “took cheese to eat” while waiting for Polyphemus to return. Odysseus acted inappropriately by taking food from Polyphemus without permission. Furthermore, when Odysseus escaped, he “gathered his sheep to take them away” (Homer 159). Not only did he steal Polyphemus' food, but Odysseus also stole his beloved flock of sheep. Although it could be argued that Polyphemus is to blame because he devoured some of Odysseus's men and refused to allow Odysseus and his men to leave, Odysseus created the whole conflict by foolishly remaining on the island and entering the house of Polyphemus. If Odysseus had not broken in and eaten his food, Polyphemus would never have needed to eat his men for meals or prevent Odysseus and his men from escaping. Odysseus is rightly accused and he should be brought to justice for the damage he caused to Polyphemus' house and for his inhumane acts of cruelty. Instead of choosing to wait for the Kyklops or leave his lands, Odysseus and his men put themselves in direct danger by breaking into.