These days, the word “epic” is taken in a completely different way than it was back in ancient Greece. An epic is a long narrative poem about a legendary hero and his adventures but now it is used as an adjective to describe something. The Odyssey by Homer is an example of one, here are a few reasons as to why. The main character Odysseus fought many people and completed extraordinary tasks, however he was only successful because of the help from the gods who played an active role in Odysseus’ life. The irony of this was that as much as the gods helped him, they also caused that much trouble for him. Odysseus was capable of many things, from leading a group of men through the obstacles of the gods to fighting off multiple suitors with only…show more content… “Oh hear me, lord, blue girdler of the islands… let him lose all companions, and return under strange sail to bitter days at home” lines 468 - 476. This was a situation that occurred when Odysseus’ boastfulness got the better of him and allowed the Cyclops to place a curse on him. Poseidon, the father of the Cyclops had heard the prayers of his son and placed the curse on Odysseus. The Cyclops was not someone who would simply curse anyone, it would have to be someone very relevant to the situation. Another situation in which the gods took place was the fight against the suitors. “Then Zeus thundered overhead, one loud crack for a sign” lines 1220 - 1221. This signal from Zeus was a major indicator of the gods partnership with Odysseus to kill the suitors. With the help of Zeus and Athena, Odysseus and Telemachus were able to successfully plan and execute the plan, resulting in the death of all the suitors. The final example was when Odysseus returned home to be tested by Penelope. Athena made Odysseus more handsome, taller, and more muscular, lines 1384 - 1387. Athena was a major factor throughout the ending of the story, she actively supported his return to Penelope and she disguised him as a beggar to learn about the loyalty of his