"I am Odysseus, the son of Laertes, men consider me formidable for cunning in peace and war: this fame has spread until 'at the edge of the sky.' (1047) Odysseus is an epic hero in The Odyssey and exhibits three character traits that are sure to stand out to readers. These traits are intelligence, compassion and determination. When he is trapped in a cave and held captive, Odysseus makes a hasty but intelligent decision to spare his captor's life. His captor was a Cyclops. Odysseus was shrewd in his decision to spare the Cyclops' life, as he and his crew were unable to move the larger bolder blocking the escape route. Odysseus knew that if he killed the Cyclops, he and his men would perish with him. Another story in which Odysseus displays his intelligence is “The Sirens”. “As I moved forward, I carried wax down the line and put it thickly on their ears.” (1072) In the story "The Sirens", Odysseus depicts his remarkable ingenuity when he plugs the crew's ears with beeswax. Thanks to Odysseus's suitable solution, the crew was protected from the seductive song of the sirens....