Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus sometimes lets his pride prevent him from listening to the advice of others. One example of this occurs in Book 9, while Odysseus recounts his past adventures to the Phaeacians. While journeying through the land of the Cyclopes, Odysseus encountered Polyphemus the cyclops. Odysseus and his men were imprisoned by the monster, but Odysseus used his cunning and intelligence to escape without the cyclops even learning his name.
Odysseus was upset Polyphemus would never know who had foiled his plot, so he wanted to yell his name as he sailed away. Odysseus' men advised against it, and they checked him several times. As Odysseus recounts, they exhorted him to keep his name a secret: "Hard one, why are you trying once more to stir up this savage man."
However, Odysseus did not heed their advice. As he recounts:
So they spoke, but could not persuade the great heart in me, but once again in the anger of my heart I cried to him: Cyclops, if any...man asks you who it was that [blinded you], tell him that you were blinded by Odysseus.
This had unfortunate consequences for Odysseus and his men. Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon, and Poseidon sought vengeance by later wrecking Odysseus' ship; only Odysseus survived.
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