The very image of the central hero reflected the perceptions of the human ideal, belonging to different eras. The hero of the epos is always the perfection of physical and moral qualities, but if in the Iliad the central characters were distinguished primarily by physical strength and military talents, then Odyssey is the first hero of world literature in which physical perfection is combined with a high mind.
The roots of the image of Odyssey go back to ancient times. The mythological Odysseus is the great-grandson of the god Hermes, patron of commerce and thieves, from whom he inherited intelligence, dexterity, practicality. His grandfather Autolycus is a "great oath breaker and thief," his parents are Laertes and Anticlea. But the poem no longer emphasizes the divine origin of the hero, although, as is typical of an epic hero, he is a brave warrior, a master of hand-to-hand combat and archery. But in military prowess and physical strength, it is superior to many. Odyssey has no equal in mind, cunning, initiative, patience, in the art of advice and words. For the first time in Odyssey, force is compelled to yield to intellect.