Odysseus Delayed Nostos Analysis

‘It was the immortals that had the greatest influence on Odysseus delayed nostos to Ithaca.’
To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Odysseus: valiant, intelligent, cunning, and proud. It was these traits that contributed to his delayed nostos. The all-powerful gods, though hindering Odysseus in his travels, are not nearly as responsible for this extensive delay as the epic hero. Needlessly making stopovers in various islands, and encroaching on his crew’s responsibilities, Odysseus’ was the only one who had power over his own moira, regardless of the immortal’s design of such a thing. The statement in question, is only agreeable to an extent; yes, the immortal gods did have an influence on Odysseus’ delayed nostos, but it was the epic hero’s own hamartia that postponed his homecoming. …show more content…
He had begun his journey to Ithaca, when the wind drifted him toward Ismarus, the city of the Cicones. With this came a choice, to sack the city, as he had done to Troy not a few weeks earlier, or to continue peacefully on his way. Odysseus chose the former. Stopping so inessentially, so early in his voyage, was the first of many crippling decisions in which had enforced his moira and delayed his nostos. In this occasion, the hero had let his crew rule him. Overpowering his decision to leave quickly after dividing up the plunder, Odysseus had done nothing to enforce his sovereignty, ‘But my fools of men refused. . . and they kept on drinking and butchering sheep and shambling crooked-horned cattle by the shore.’ (Homer, Pg. 111) Odysseus had grown placid in his headship of his men, and it was this apathetic approach that had begun the string of events that had postponed his desperate desire for his