Ulysses in The Odyssey

Who is Ulysses?

Ulysses (Odysseus) is the famously cunning king whose long absence from Ithaca frames the narrative. In the assemblies at home his name is the focal point of hope and rumor: omens promise his return even as the suitors ravage his household. In the narrative sections where he is present he navigates the last, deadly legs of the homeward voyage. Guided by Circe’s practical counsel, he takes precautions against the Sirens and chooses the lesser of two maritime disasters by hugging Scylla’s side, losing six men rather than his whole ship. He survives his crew’s sacrilege against Helios’ cattle, only to have Zeus destroy the ship in retribution; he clings to wreckage, survives Charybdis, and is washed ashore on Calypso’s island. Across these episodes he acts as planner, listener, and sufferer—exerting leadership and restraint at moments but also suffering the consequences of his men's choices and divine anger.

Personality

Cunning

He follows Circe’s advice to be bound to the mast so he can hear the Sirens without succumbing.

Prudent

He accepts Circe’s counsel to hug Scylla’s side, choosing to lose a few men rather than risk the whole ship.

Responsible

He buries Elpenor before departing, attending to the dead companion’s proper rites.

Tragic leader

Despite precautions, he endures the loss of his best men to Scylla and the destruction of his ship after his crew slaughters Helios’ cattle.

Character arc

Ulysses is first present to the story-world mainly as the absent hero whose fate drives the actions of others: omens at the Ithacan assembly promise his return and his name rallies hope. When he reappears in the voyage episodes with Circe, he shows the seasoned planner and strategist—attending burial rites for Elpenor, using advice to mitigate supernatural dangers, and voluntarily submitting himself to restraint (bound to the mast) to fulfill a tactical aim. Yet his control is limited: the choices of his crew (encouraged by Eurylochus) and the demands of the gods override his stewardship. He watches helplessly as Scylla devours six men and as Zeus destroys the ship in punishment for the crew’s sacrilege; his survival depends on physical endurance and fortune rather than further cunning. By the end of these episodes Ulysses is alive but shipless and stranded on Calypso’s island—still his own agent in many respects, but humbled by loss and by the demonstrable limits of human planning against divine will and human frailty.

Relationships

• Telemachus His son; Telemachus seeks news of Ulysses and his fate in assemblies and voyages to Pylos and Sparta.
• Circe A sorceress and advisor who provides crucial practical counsel on the Sirens, Scylla/Charybdis choice, and the danger of Helios’ cattle.
• Elpenor A dead companion whom Ulysses buries at Circe’s island, showing his sense of duty to the crew.
• Eurylochus A member of his crew whose argument persuades the men to slaughter the Sun’s cattle, triggering divine retribution.
• Helios The sun-god whose sacred cattle are slaughtered by Ulysses’ crew, leading him to appeal for vengeance.
• Zeus The chief god who responds to Helios’ appeal by sending a storm that destroys Ulysses’ ship and crew.

Why Ulysses matters

Ulysses represents the human struggle between agency and fate: his cleverness and prudence allow temporary mastery over supernatural threats (the Sirens, tactical choice against Scylla), yet the limits of his control—crew disobedience and divine punishment—underscore themes of responsibility, loss, and the cost of homecoming. Through his endurance and the heavy toll paid by those around him, the episodes emphasize the moral complexity of leadership and the tragic gap between human planning and cosmic forces.

Chapters with Ulysses

• Book 2
• Book 3
• Book 12

More The Odyssey characters

• OdysseusProtagonist
• TelemachusMajor character
• AthenaMajor character
• PenelopeMajor character
• ZeusMajor character
• LaertesMinor character
• The SuitorsAntagonist
• AntinousAntagonist