Question

Faced with the choice between Scylla and Charybdis, Odysseus must make a choice. He chooses Scylla and he knows this means that six men will die, yet he withholds this information from his crew. Is this a strength or a weakness in his character? Explain.

Answer 1

This question is actually a matter of opinion. Some would say he shows strength by knowing he has to sacrifice six of his men when he has already lost so many. They say it shows he's a strong character and a determined leader. That he's willing to sacrifice anything for his cause. That's a very strong character trait. Some, however, would say it shows he's weak. Not only did he know it wouldn't be him who died, he also didn't tell his remaining men. He let six of them die. He knew they would and he did not say anything. I guess whatever side you take is up to you.

Answer 2

Answer: He shows that he’s a good leader who trusts his men and cares about them.

Explanation:

Ulysses does not want to scare his men when he knows the inevitable will happen. He is selective about what information he shares and what information he withholds from them. He tells them about problems that he can easily surpass, but not about how he will lose six men while passing Scylla because he has no other choice.