Importance of Names in the Odyssey and the BibleTwo of the most studied ancient works are Homer's Odyssey and the Bible's Book of Genesis . Each of these texts offers a unique perspective on an early civilization. In both texts one can learn not only stories about great heroes, but also about how these people lived and what they believed. Many interesting parallels can be drawn between the two developing societies described in the Odyssey and the book of Genesis. A parallel is the importance placed on names by each culture. Although considered important in different ways, the value placed on a name shows a striking similarity between the evolving cultures of the Greeks and Hebrews. In the Odyssey, Homer's characters frequently allude to the importance of names. To these ancient Greeks, a name symbolized a person's identity, ancestry, and honor. It is the one thing a man always owns, even if he owns nothing else. This is clearly demonstrated through the hero Odysseus. Upon returning home after the Trojan War, Odysseus loses his title, his lands and his power for twenty years. All that remains is his name to speak of his character and his person. As he himself says at the beginning of Book IX, when beginning to tell his story to the Phiacians: "I will first tell you my name, and then you can count me among your friends if I live to reach my house, well that it's far away. I am Ulysse Laertiades, a name well known around the world as someone who is ready for any event. Although far from home and anything that could say good things about him, Odysseus is still in possession of his name, which clearly shows his good character. This speech of Odysseus also shows...... middle of paper ...... to be guarded carefully, for if all else is lost, it remains so forever. Thus, there is nothing more precious to a man than to have a name that carries intrinsic honor and meaning throughout his life. A man is defined by who he is, and this is best reflected in his name. As the texts make clear, having a good reputation and being remembered for it should be every man's primary goal. 1988Heubeck, Alfred, JB Hainsworth et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vol. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1989.Tracy, Stephen V., The Story of the Princeton UP Odyssey 1990The Holy Bible. New revised standard version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1989.