Do you think you have what it takes to be an epic hero? Well, Odysseus does. The Odyssey, written by Homer, recounts the long journey that Odysseus takes to return home to Ithaca. During his ten-year journey after the Trojan War, which took place in 1200 BC, Odysseus did not choose to go to war, he was forced to. He pretended to be crazy so he wouldn't go. To verify that he was really crazy, they took his son and put him in the middle of the road. They thought that if he was crazy, he wouldn't try to save his son. Odysseus saved his son, but was sent to war. The war lasted ten years. Odysseus faces many adversities, such as a cyclops, a six-headed monster and many gods, such as Poseidon. He also loses many of his men throughout his journey. In the end, he returns home to Ithaca. After 20 years of absence. Odysseus is an example of an epic hero because he displays intelligence, he faces many demons and monsters, as well as his leadership skills. One of the things that makes Odysseus an epic hero is his intelligence. Odysseus shows that he is in the Cyclops' cave when he tells Polyphemus that his name is Nohbdy. “My name is Nohbdy: mother, father and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy” (Homer 903). This is smart of Odysseus, because now when Polyphemus says who hurt him, everyone thinks that "no one" hurt him, when in fact someone, Odysseus, really hurt. He took out his eye. Also, while being clever in the invention, he says that Poseidon, the god of the seas, destroyed their ship, but their ship is completely intact. Odysseus says this and his name is Nohbdy to protect his identity. This also demonstrates intelligence because it shows that he can think quickly and come up with good answers. Another way he displays intelligence is through facing demons and monsters, and through his great leadership abilities. He demonstrates intelligence in the Cyclops' cave twice. Once, when he told Polyphemus that his name was Nohbdy, and that he hid his men on the pectoral fleece of Polyphemus's animals. He confronts Scylla, the six-headed monster, and only six men are destroyed, and the Cyclops, Polyphemus, the one-eyed son of Poseidon, who wants the death of Odysseus and his men. He shows his leadership skills when he puts beeswax in his men's ears and has his men attach it to ships so his men don't have to listen to the sirens' song, and he does, but can't reach them because he's tied up. He also shows leadership when he saves them from the Lotus Eaters, telling them not to eat what they offer them. There are many other things that make Odysseus an epic hero, but these are just a few..