Some gods had a greater impact, while other gods had a small influence on Odysseus. In multiple situations we see gods who must pull Odysseus from the fire and save him from the position he finds himself in. On different occasions we also see Poseidon doing everything in his power to prevent Odysseus from returning to Ithaca. He mentions huge waves and storms, but that doesn't seem to stop Odysseus. Athena had the greatest impact on Odysseus' journey. It all started with Athena begging her father to convince Kalypso to hand over Odysseus and let him go. Athena always watches over Odysseus and gives him advice throughout his adventure. Even with all the help of the gods, we cannot ignore all the trials that Odysseus had to go through alone. He had to survive several creatures and monsters using his intelligence and quick thinking. Many believe that the gods determine the course of events in this story as they repeatedly help or harm Odysseus. However, I believe that humans, and more importantly, Odysseus, determine the course of events. Even with all the help of the gods, Odysseus still had to face certain dangers alone without the help of the gods. Odysseus determined the course of events because he did not have to return home if he did not want to. He could have easily stayed with Kalypso for the rest of his life, but he longed to return to Ithaca and his family. In Greek culture, the worst thing you could do was upset the gods. If you upset the gods, your fate darkens very quickly. This is why the Greeks made offerings to the gods before each meal. Sometimes Odysseus thought he knew his fate when he found himself in extreme situations. It was times like when he was floating towards the island of the Phaiakians, he thought he was going to die. But it was in these difficult times that Ulysses fought the hardest to obtain