Some gods had a greater impact, while others had a small influence on Odysseus. In multiple situations, we see the gods having to pull Odysseus out of the fire and save him from whatever position he is in. On separate occasions, we also see Poseidon do everything in his power to prevent Odysseus from returning to Ithaca. He summons enormous waves and storms, but this does not seem to stop Ulysses. Athena had the greatest impact on Odysseus' journey. It all started with Athena begging her father to force Calypso to hand over Odysseus and let him go. Athena always watches Odysseus and gives him advice along the path of his adventure. Even with all the help of the gods, we cannot overlook all the trials that Odysseus had to face alone. He had to survive multiple creatures and monsters using intelligence and quick thinking. Many believe that the gods determine the course of events in this story as they help or hurt Odysseus on multiple occasions. However, I believe that humans and, above all, Odysseus, determine the course of events. Even with all the help of the gods, Odysseus still had to face some dangers alone, without the help of the gods. Odysseus determined the course of events because he didn't have to go home if he didn't want to. He could have easily stayed with Calypso for the rest of his life, but he had a desire to return to Ithaca and his family. In Greek culture the worst thing you could do was upset the gods. If you upset the gods, your fate becomes dark very quickly. This is why the Greeks made offerings to the gods before each meal. Sometimes Odysseus thought he knew his fate when he found himself in extreme situations. Sometimes, as when he floated towards the island of the Phaeacians, he thought he would die. But it was during these difficult times that Odysseus fought hardest to achieve