Homer’s Odyssey takes places twenty years after the end of the Trojan War, with our hero, Odysseus, lost at sea yearning to return to his family and reclaim his throne as the king of Ithaca. However, the return home will prove to be no simple task for the mighty Odysseus, as the gods have cruelly riddled the path with obstacles and dangers designed to test our hero’s proficiency. Each obstacle presents Odysseus with a different situation in which his physical, intellectual, and moral capabilities are tested. Among these obstacles are the Cattle of the Sun and the Sirens: each one a mythical creature that present Odysseus with a unique moral test that he must pass in order to survive and continue his voyage home. These two obstacles examine Odysseus’ self-control, integrity, and his intelligence, as they require him to use his sharp mind in order to overcome the innate human flaws he possesses and to persevere with a greater goal in mind despite the setbacks and suffering set before him. Odysseus and his crew are faced with the prospect of the island of the Sun God, Helios, after barely escaping from the monsters Scylla and Charybdis. Odysseus – following Tiersias’ prophecy – tries to explain to his crew that it would be wise to avoid the island, knowing that it might mean imminent death for all of them. However, the crew, tired from rowing and lack of food and sleep, are not convinced by Odysseus’s argument and are instead persuaded by Eurylochus to stay on the island for the night (after promising to Odysseus they would not eat any of Helios’ livestock). Unfortunately, upon docking on the island, the East and South winds started to blow for a full month, preventing them from leaving the island. The crew is able to survive off their supplies for a while but they are eventually left with nothing but the pain of their empty stomachs and are once again convinced by the erroneous, yet enticing words of Eurylochus to go against the will of Odysseus. Succumbing to their temptation, the crew slaughter and feast on Helios’ animals for 6 days, setting sail on the seventh day only to be hit by a tremendous storm devised by none other than Zeus, killing everyone except Odysseus. This episode in particular highlights the significant contrast between Odysseus and his men, as well as the distinct qualities possessed by Odysseus that set him apart from other mortals. One of the most reverent qualities possessed by Odysseus is his integrity, allowing him to have strong moral principles and values to which he abides by wholly. Odysseus’ integrity allows him to understand the sinful crime he would be committing by killing the animals of the Sun God Helios and the repercussions this would have on his goal of returning home, thus choosing to ignore agonizing hunger. Throughout his journey, Odysseus never lo