Crafty Odysseus is the fitting epithet given to Odysseus in the Iliad. In the Odyssey, he owns the title more often than in the Iliad. While it was Odysseus’ idea to go snooping around the enemy lines and the famous Trojan Horse was his plot as well, Odysseus does some very sneaky things in the Odyssey. The amount of fighting in the Odyssey versus the Iliad is significant. The only real fighting takes place near the end of the epic, when Odysseus slaughters the suitors. Until that time, Odysseus manages to work his way out of troubles with wit and subtle maneuvers. Disguises and tricks are more Odysseus’ modus operandi than swords and shields.
Homer wants us to understand that fighting is not the only way out of any and all situations. It may be necessary to resort to fighting in the end, as Odysseus must to get rid of the suitors or to make his way out of Polyphemus’ cave, but there are innumerable ways to avoid fighting as well.
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