Odysseus the Great Hero Most people believe that Odysseus is a hero of the Iliad because of his victories against the Trojans and conquering the city of Troy. Through the teachings he is described this way, but is shown as a hero through other events in the book. Odysseus is not the only hero shown in this epic. Achilles is another main character who also displays heroic actions. The difference between the two is that Odysseus uses his genius mind and unique thoughts to win battles and get out of treacherous situations, while Achilles uses strength and power. Although Achilles displays great acts of heroism, Odysseus reveals more heroism in the way he handles situations, his selflessness, and his ability to overcome all problematic obstacles. After Patroclus's death, Achilles tries to rush straight into war, but Odysseus convinces him to take revenge. through strategy. Odysseus says, “Any army must fight on a full stomach” (Coleman-Norton, p. 75). By reminding Achilles that the army must eat before fighting, Odysseus shows that he is thinking about the future before going to war. During another event, Ulysses had the idea of ​​making a gigantic wooden horse and hiding his men in it as a gift to the Trojans as a sign of surrender. In fact, he hatched the plan to have one of their men declare that they had to get him or else the gods would be angry with them. As a military hero, Odysseus ranks below Achilles, but is a much greater figure of one who can go forward and win without desperation, even with the disfavor of the gods (The English Journal, p.115). After the Trojans brought the horse here, the men destroyed the city that night. The great, tough-hearted Odysseus defeated the Trojans (Sheppard, page 42). If it were not for Odysseus' intelligent thinking, perhaps they would not have won the war against the Trojans and captured the city of. They also allowed him to save Helen who had been stolen from the Greeks by the Trojans. Achilles, at one point, refuses to fight in the war with the Greeks when the prize is taken away from him. He allows his decisions to be dictated by pride. Odysseus never lets his pride get in the way of helping the Greeks or keeping himself alive. Not only is Odysseus a hero because he helps the Greeks fight the Trojans, but because he is a good husband and father. He has a wife and son at home that he doesn't want to leave behind, but he knows he has many obligations to keep his family and his kingdom safe. He could have refused to fight with the Greeks, but he could have taken his land if they lost the war. He knew the possible consequences if he didn't help Agamemnon, so he made the smart decision to help him win