In Homer's poem The Odyssey, restraint is a major theme and has a direct impact on the progress of Odysseus's journey home. A close examination of the various encounters with the Cyclops, the Sun God, and the suitors reveals that restraint can advance the journey, while a lack of restraint can result in a delay, or even termination, of the journey home for some. Odysseus' encounter with the Cyclops contains examples of both restraint and lack of restraint. When Odysseus and his crew first reach Cyclops territory, they land on an island very close to the Cyclops shore. Odysseus states: "...so close / we could even see their smoke, hear their voices..." (9.184-85). This island has everything they need and there is no reason to explore the island of the Cyclops, but Odysseus cannot restrain his curiosity about the nature of the inhabitants of the other island (9.195-96). He and his men soon find themselves trapped in Cyclops' cave, with several of them having died at Cyclops' hands. When the Cyclops falls asleep, Odysseus is tempted to kill him in his sleep, but restrains himself when he realizes that "there, at once, we would also end ourselves - / how could we, with bare hands, lift / this slab". he started to block the gaping mouth of his cave? (9.340-42). Ultimately, Odysseus is able to come up with a plan to save himself and his men, but this requires restraint because he must wait for the right moment to act. Instead of killing the Cyclops outright, Odysseus and his men blind the Cyclops and then slip out of the cave attached to the bellies of the Cyclops' sheep (9.479-484). This would have been a good time to walk away quickly and quietly, but unfortunately Odysseus has another moment where he... middle of paper... "holds back his tears" (19.242-45). he wishes to reveal himself, it would most likely mean the end of his life and the loss of returning to the country he worked so hard for. In the end, all of Odysseus' displays of restraint pay off. of Telemachus and his two faithful shepherds, Odysseus succeeds in killing all the suitors and regaining control of his house By examining just a few situations in the Odyssey, the reader can see how important restraint is when returning. succeeded. All of Odysseus' men died because of their own lack of restraint Odysseus showed restraint more often than not, but even he lost control at times and the result was that it took him 10 years. to return home Works Cited Homer The Odyssey New York: Viking, 1996. Print...