The Odyssey Values Daniel Nunez

In the great story the Odyssey as told by Homer, the Greek values Homer instilled are abundant. Some of the values are discipline, loyalty, and treating stranger with respect. These were Greek cultural standards. Many values were shown to try to teach people in most or every book. Today we all face similar situations, which includes most of the same values. Odysseus’ epic still remains to have relevance in today’s modern world.
Discipline is shown in the books of Helios the Sun God, Aeolia and the Bag of Winds, and The Sirens. In the book of Helios The Sun God Odysseus’ men ate Helios’ magic cattle. Odysseus told them not to but they didn’t have the discipline to listen to Odysseus and so the men died who ate them. The men opening the bag of winds show discipline in Aeolia and the Bag of Winds since they weren’t supposed to do so and for punishment the ship got farther away from there home. In the siren’s part of the story discipline is shown by the men having the discipline to put wax on their ears and tying Odysseus really tight so no one died.
Loyalty is shown within the books of Calypso, Ithaca, and Aeolia. It was displayed in Calypso because even though Odysseus was with Calypso the most beautiful girl in the world he always stayed true to his wife. The book of The Return to Ithaca revealed loyalty because even though Odysseus had been gone for 20 years Penelope never gave up on him. Loyalty was exposed during the book of Aeolia by the men who didn’t show their loyalty to Odysseus. They opened the bag of winds and ended up being the reason it took so long to get back to Ithaca.
The Value of treating strangers with respect was exposed in the books of Cyclops, Alcinous’ Court, and Ithaca. It was shown in the book of the Cyclops when Odysseus and his men stabbed Polyphemus in the eye. It could have been avoided if Polyphemus had treated them with respect. The value came into play in the story of Ithaca, the suitors weren’t treating Odysseus with respect and he ended up killing them all. In Alcinous’ court it was shown by the king treating Odysseus with respect and Odysseus answered all their questions. The Odyssey is an epic, which displays and teaches many Greek values to the people who read it. Discipline, loyalty, and treating strangers with respect were some of them. Today we can find those same values in modern life. The influence of Greek culture on modern western society is subtle but enormous.