The first is a sad, painful cry – the cry dealing with intense trauma. The second is a joyful cry. The first, experienced by Ulysses, represents the fate of all women whose husbands died at Troy. This shows the connection with Penelope, who felt the same sense of sorrow after becoming certain that Odysseus had been lost at sea and would never return. The second, experienced by Penelope, shows the link with Ulysses, who, after ten years spent apart by Poseidon, should have felt this feeling of immense joy upon arriving home. However, Penelope and Odysseus's cunning and self-control prevented them from expressing such emotions. Penelope, even if she sometimes loses her temper in the presence of her son, never does so in front of the suitors. Odysseus was far too cautious about the possible dangers on his return to Ithaca to feel such joy. Since neither of them can let themselves be compromised by such intense feelings, their romantic connection allows them to feel each other's emotions. This perfectly reflects the unbreakable bond between husband and wife that will eventually bring the lovers together again. Homeric comparisons give us a much better understanding of the psyche of the characters in the Odyssey than we would have through dialogue and narration alone. All of these comparisons show how Homer connects the characters on such an interpersonal level that their emotions transcend