I felt the same about Odysseus's crew when I first read the book, and you're right... looking back, it does seem like his leadership skills were very lacking. My recollection of the Iliad (I'm not looking back at a copy to confirm) is that his most striking heroic episode is a night-time commando raid where it's just him and a few other men sneaking around. Not so much like some of the Greeks who conspicuously lead their men into battle.
But he can't be that bad a leader, or else his servants, tenant farmers and so forth wouldn't be so glad to see him back. It's honestly a testament to him as king that his swineherd who he hasn't seen for ten years and who knows he's going to be very violent is immediately so glad to see him. You could argue that it's just that the suitors are so terrible. But perhaps Odysseus is genuinely a better judge and administrator than he is a general?
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Date: 2025-03-29 11:35 pm (UTC)But he can't be that bad a leader, or else his servants, tenant farmers and so forth wouldn't be so glad to see him back. It's honestly a testament to him as king that his swineherd who he hasn't seen for ten years and who knows he's going to be very violent is immediately so glad to see him. You could argue that it's just that the suitors are so terrible. But perhaps Odysseus is genuinely a better judge and administrator than he is a general?