These things that Ulysses has done have been for him and is crew to gain their way home. Each event claiming a different part of Ulysses� character. He tunes his mind into new ideas and in this process is able to live and survive and keep on his way back to Ithaca. His wits and grace are looked upon well by some of the other gods, and each knows that he is supposed to return home. In this way, Ulysses is able to escape the goddess Calypso.
Ulysses comes across her isle after loosing all of his men to the god Helios, of the sun. He drifts ashore on a piece of his ship and Calypso takes a liking of him, and keeps him with her on her isle for seven years. After suck time, Athena entreats Zeus to make Calypso let him go, so that he can be on his way. It is done, but Calypso is to send him on his way on a raft, not a fine ship.
Again we see a man make favor with an immortal woman. Her being a goddess he has not the power to deny her and must obey. As well, he also finds favor from Athena again and is freed on her behalf to continue on his way.
From all of the events that have happened in his journey, we see how one man can set a standard. From then on, men will look back at Ulysses and see a man of great power and cunning, a man who took one step to many and succeed with his task. All throughout his voyage he held a certain power of his own. He was able to manipulate gods with the use of his intellect. He was able to overcome great fears and hardships and even more, keep his men sprits going in great times of peril.
Ulysses is one of these heroes that has set the path for all others after him. Joseph Campbell talks about heroes and the path that they have laid down for us saying �Furthermore, we have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us. The labyrinth is thoroughly known. We have only to follow the thread of the hero path...� (151). Thanks to Ulysses and others of his kind, we always have a place to strive for in our own hero�s journey.