The Character of Odysseus in the Odyssey "The Odyssey" is an epic story that has been an important literary work since its first composition and the will remain for centuries to come. One of the reasons why this is so is because of the hero Odysseus. Odysseus is one of the first Greek mythical heroes renowned for his brains as well as his brawn. Indeed, he is a man of inquisitive mind, but he is also a man of exceptional prowess and courage" (123helpme.com/assets/3603.html). "Neither should we forgetting that he is a top-notch athlete which only adds more to this seemingly insurmountable character. It is no wonder that many scholars call Odysseus a powerful mythical hero. “Odysseus often hesitates before acting, because he uses his reason and his gift to evaluate things. This patience is one of his most important additional attributes” (library.thinkquest. org/19300/data/Odyssey/odysseus.html). This saved him and his men on several occasions. "When the poem opens, it is the tenth year since the fall of Troy, and Odysseus has not yet returned home to the island of Ithaca, but is being held at Ogygia, an island to the west , by the nymph Calypso" (bartleby.com/22/1001.htmlHomer (fl. 850 BC). The Odyssey. Harvard Classics. "Disguised as Odysseus' old friend, Athena goes to his mansion in Ithaca, now invaded by noisy and lustful suitors intent on marrying Odysseus' wife, Penelope. Odysseus' son Telemakhos, disgruntled among the suitors, warmly welcomes Athena as a stranger and invites her to theirs. feast. As the suitors devour Odysseus's oxen, Telemakhos says he believes his father - whom he does not know at all - is dead."(gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/odyssey/summ1.html )."He is so uncertain of his own identity that he refuses to affirm his relationship with Odysseus without reservation. Athena introduces herself as Odysseus' old friend Mentes and predicts that he will soon return home. Telemakhos goes from a callous and helpless youth to a stronger man. , a more confident man" (Approaches to Teaching Homer's Iliad and Odyssey). "Just as Odysseus's story is about returning home to his old identity, Telemakhos's is about forging a new one ; as Athena tells him, "You are no longer a child."(gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/odyssey/sum1.html). As Telemakhos develops from youth to man inspired by Athena, in especially his favorable comparisons between himself and his father; he stands against the suitors in his assembly "Failing in his attempt to get the Ithacans to help him assert his rights, Telemakhos leaves for Pylus under the direction of the goddess. Athena, disguised as Mentès, a friendly leader..