Odysseus, ruler of Ithaca, roamed the world after he played a key role in the siege of Troy. After offending Poseiden, the gods made it very difficult for Odysseus to return home, presenting many trials on land and sea. But wise Odysseus learned about persistence and how to assess the hearts of men. When he returned to Ithaca with the help and guidance of Athena, he killed the suiters of his wife and plunderers of his wealth. Homer's narrative style is naive in his description of events and environments as if he were experiencing them for the first time in wonder. Violence and strength are part of the nature of men and women, with women in the tale having some of the most influential effects on events ( )