evolving hero

in Ithaka, Penelope must guard
against the suitors eating through her stock
while half the gods colluded to retard
the hero on his tropic prison rock
unlike Achilles, he got out alive
when Menelaos sailed home with his whore
he deemed the greatest good was to survive
and wend home to his family from war
Peleides shone bright, but too soon died
and never saw his heir grown to a man
to stand in close formation by his side
each generation hewing to the plan
Odysseus, by epic's end has won
the joy to stand in battle with his son