The poem reads:
But as I sent them on toward Scylla, I
told them nothing, as they could do nothing.
They would have dropped their oars again, in panic,
to roll for cover under the decking. Circe's
bidding against arms had slipped my mind,
so I tied on my cuirass and took up
two heavy spears, then made my way along
to the foredeck – thinking to see her first from there,
the monster of the grey rock, harboring
torment for my friends.
—The Odyssey,
Homer
According to Homer, it is definitely a strength the best word to describe Odysseus is "cuirass". A cuirass is a type of defensive armor. Odysseus here has to be psychologically and emotionally armored for what is about to happen: the gruesome death of some of his sailor friends at the hands of Scylla, the mythical monster dwelling on the Strait of Messina.
The poet is clearly conveying the message that the sacrifice of a few is inevitable and necessary for the saving of the entire ship and crew. These men were his friends and he send them to death to save the majority of his friends. This is a very difficult decision and it takes a great deal of moral fortitude to face it.
