The Odyssey is an ancient tale that has entertained readers with its sense of thrill, tension and adventure since the 8th century BC In the epic by Homer, we follow the story of a war hero named Odysseus and his journey back to his hometown of Ithaca, where he reigned as king. Odysseus and his men set sail for Troy to fight the Trojan War and protect their people, however, the quest to return home is not so pleasant. Over the course of the book, Odysseus and his crew encounter many near-death experiences that cause them to reconsider their decision to attempt this heroic feat. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the Odyssey, Homer conveys themes of loyalty, authority, and reverence towards the gods as he tells the story of Odysseus' journey back to his home kingdom in Ithaca. All of these themes are exemplified in Odysseus's disguised encounter with Eumaeus, the servant who tends the pigs. Eumaeus, although he appears only in the last third of the tale, contains all the attributes that Odysseus values ​​himself and wants to inspire in a follower. Because the swineherd reveres the gods, respects authority, and displays a sense of loyalty, he is not only spared from Odysseus' wrath, but is also distinguished by Homer for his actions. The focus Homer places on Eumaeus and his story conveys the importance of his character, providing the viewer with an example of the ideal ancient Greek citizen. At first glance Eumaeus appears to be simply one of the many servants at the mercy of the suitors. who have infested Ulysses' estate; however, Eumaeus also stands out among these subordinates. Athena herself suggests that Odysseus go and see Eumaeus, saying: “…Go first to the swineherd… faithful to you as always, faithful friend of your son, to Penelope…” (XIII, 461-463). As demonstrated in Greek myths, when a god sends a man to meet someone, that direction serves to teach that man, and subsequently the audience, something important. Eidothea sends Menelaus to Proteus for news of his companions, Athena inspires Telemachus to visit Nestor and Menelaus to mature in confidence and tact, and Circe tells Odysseus to find Teiresias to learn how to return home. Likewise, the fact that Athena wants Odysseus to see Eumaeus indicates that Eumaeus is important. Homer also distinguishes Eumaeus by allowing him to tell his origins. When speaking to Odysseus, who he believes to be a beggar, Eumaeus tells how he became Odysseus' servant, a story that further develops Eumaeus as a character. Because he speaks so truthfully to Odysseus in disguise, the audience learns Eumaeus' true perception of the suitors and his feelings toward Odysseus' family. The expression of these thoughts helps convey Eumaeus' beliefs and motivations, giving the audience a better understanding of Eumaeus as a person and allowing Homer to use him as an example of the ideal man. In ancient Greece, the degree to which a person fulfilled his or her role in society determined whether that person was actually good. A good man showed due respect to the gods (particularly by offering them worship at appropriate times and following their wishes), submitted to the authorities who ruled above him, and showed loyalty to his family. If a man succeeded in all these things, regardless of his motivations or other aspects of his life, he was considered good by the Greeks. It is by this standard that all the characters in the Odyssey are judged, and this is one of the reasons why the suitors appear so evil: they drain the resources of Odysseus's estate instead of providing for their own families. Eumaeus, however,exceeds the expectations of a good man by fulfilling all of his roles while remaining humble and kind-hearted, although this is not required of him. Therefore, Eumaeus represents the ideal man. Revering the gods, giving the gods their due, sacrifice, prayer and respect for divine laws earned man the favor of the gods and preserved him from their wrath. Eumaeus demonstrates that he fears the gods by welcoming a stranger into his home, as hospitality was an expectation of the Greeks. Zeus often tested the hospitality of mortals by appearing as a beggar in need of a place to stay and cursed the inhospitable. Eumaeus reluctantly allows the disguised Odysseus to stay for the night; instead he slaughters the fattest pig for Odysseus, giving him “the share of honor” during the meal (XIV, 497). When night comes, Eumaeus also "prepares a bed by the fire, throwing over it sheep and goatskins and... the heavy flaming cloak which he keeps in reserve..." on which Odysseus can sleep, giving a beggar the better than what he had (XIV, 586-590). In addition to the generous hospitality he demonstrates, "the swineherd, a soul of virtue, did not forget the gods", and sacrifices the best meat to the gods during meals (XIV, 476). His continued reverence towards the gods does not go unnoticed, and Odysseus praises Eumaeus, wanting the gods to bless him for the things he has done. For Odysseus, a man who, from personal experience, knows a lot about reverence towards the gods, complimenting Eumaeus in this matter indicates the exceptional nature of Eumaeus' devotion and respect for the gods. Despite the injustice of his situation, Eumaeus still expresses respect for Odysseus' authority by working for him, remaining content, and not attempting to rise in social rank. In Book XV it is revealed that Eumaeus was born a prince and was sold into slavery to Laertes. The inclusion of this story alludes to Eumaeus' inherent goodness. Homer creates this story for the swineherd so that the audience can more easily accept Eumaeus as the representation of the ideal man in society. The princes were courageous, magnanimous, and commonly described as paragons of goodness. Although he is a slave, Eumaeus still retains his princely qualities, making the parallels between the swineherd and the ideal man more feasible. Eumaeus' story also shows his humility and good nature. Although he is of noble blood, forced into a life of servitude, Eumaeus bears no resentment towards Odysseus' family; rather, he finds himself indebted to them. Ulysses' mother raised Eumaeus together with her daughter, "taking care of him almost as if he were her own son" (XV, 409). While Melanthus, whom Penelope similarly raised as her daughter, has no respect for her mistress' authority and mocks Penelope's guest - who happens to be Odysseus - Eumaeus instead submits completely to his master's authority and works for the success of Ulysses' family. it is a quality that Odysseus deeply values, as he does everything he can to free his family from traitors. Odysseus, and the Greeks as a whole, viewed loyalty as unwavering devotion to a particular cause. Eumaeus' cause is undoubtedly the promotion of Odysseus and his family. Although Odysseus has been gone for over two decades, Eumaeus is still fully committed to his master and "alone, other than his queen or old Laertes, had built [the walls] of quarried stone blocks and faced them a fence of wild pear trees is good" (XIV, 11-13). Without any orders, Eumaeus builds a wall to enclose Odysseus' pigs and sleeps outside to guard his pigs, both of which demonstrate the extent of his loyalty. Odysseus notices these things, and “it warms Odysseus' heart, Eumaeus cared so much for his absent master's possessions” (XIV, 594-595). Eumaeus loves his master and, in a certain sense, takes it upon himself..”