<P> Homer's Iliad and Odyssey portray Odysseus as a culture hero, but the Romans, who believed themselves the heirs of Prince Aeneas of Troy, considered him a villainous falsifier . In Virgil's Aeneid, written between 29 and 19 BC, he is constantly referred to as "cruel Odysseus" (Latin dirus Ulixes) or "deceitful Odysseus" (pellacis, fandi fictor). Turnus, in Aeneid, book 9, reproaches the Trojan Ascanius with images of rugged, forthright Latin virtues, declaring (in John Dryden's translation), "You shall not find the sons of Atreus here, nor need the frauds of sly Ulysses fear ." While the Greeks admired his cunning and deceit, these qualities did not recommend themselves to the Romans, who possessed a rigid sense of honour . In Euripides' tragedy Iphigenia at Aulis, having convinced Agamemnon to consent to the sacrifice of his daughter, Iphigenia, to appease the goddess Artemis, Odysseus facilitates the immolation by telling Iphigenia's mother, Clytemnestra, that the girl is to be wed to Achilles . Odysseus' attempts to avoid his sacred oath to defend Menelaus and Helen offended Roman notions of duty, and the many stratagems and tricks that he employed to get his way offended Roman notions of honour . </P> <P> Odysseus is probably best known as the eponymous hero of the Odyssey . This epic describes his travails, which lasted for 10 years, as he tries to return home after the Trojan War and reassert his place as rightful king of Ithaca . </P> <P> On the way home from Troy, after a raid on Ismarus in the land of the Cicones, he and his twelve ships are driven off course by storms . They visit the lethargic Lotus - Eaters and are captured by the Cyclops Polyphemus while visiting his island . After Polyphemus eats several of his men, Polyphemus and Odysseus have a discussion, and Odysseus told Polyphemus his name is "Nobody". Odysseus takes a barrel of wine, and the Cyclops drinks it, falling asleep . Odysseus and his men take a wooden stake, ignite it with the remaining wine, and blind him . While they escape, Polyphemus cries in pain, and the other Cyclopes ask him what the matter is . Polyphemus cries, "Nobody has blinded me!" and the other Cyclopes think he has gone mad . Odysseus and his crew escape, but Odysseus rashly reveals his real name, and Polyphemus prays to Poseidon, his father, to take revenge . They stay with Aeolus, the master of the winds, who gives Odysseus a leather bag containing all the winds, except the west wind, a gift that should have ensured a safe return home . However, the sailors foolishly open the bag while Odysseus sleeps, thinking that it contains gold . All of the winds fly out, and the resulting storm drives the ships back the way they had come, just as Ithaca comes into sight . </P> <P> After pleading in vain with Aeolus to help them again, they re-embark and encounter the cannibalistic Laestrygonians . Odysseus' ship is the only one to escape . He sails on and visits the witch - goddess Circe . She turns half of his men into swine after feeding them cheese and wine . Hermes warns Odysseus about Circe and gives him a drug called moly, which resists Circe's magic . Circe, being attracted to Odysseus' resistance, falls in love with him and releases his men . Odysseus and his crew remain with her on the island for one year, while they feast and drink . Finally, Odysseus' men convince him to leave for Ithaca . </P>

What is the name of odysseus's ship