Odysseus

Odysseus (Ὀδυσσεύς in Ancient Greek) was a major ancient Greek hero, and a legendary Greek king of Ithaca, credited for his infamous Trojan Horse trick and role in Odyssey, where his ten-year long attempt to set back to his homeland Ithaca after the Trojan War is depicted.

Role in the Iliad
Odysseus was one of the most influential Greek champions in Homer's Iliad. He came up with the idea of the Trojan Horse with the help of his patron goddess, Athena. The Trojan Horse allowed the Greek forces to sneak into the protective walls of Troy under the cover of darkness, while the Trojans were celebrating the fallback and retreat of the Greeks.

When the night fell, a troop of soldiers led by Odysseus came out from the Trojan Horse, having hid inside, and opened the gates of Troy, allowing Agamemnon's troops to invade the city.

After Troy was sacked, Odysseus threw Hector's infant son, Astyanax, from the walls of the city in order to kill him, which the gods cursed him for doing such a dishonorable thing.

Role in Odyssey
Odysseus is the center hero in the epic, Odyssey (Greek: Οδύσσεια). The legend describes Odysseus' travels as he tries to return to his home after the Trojan War and reclaim his rightful title as the king of Ithaca. Odysseus' way home becomes quite troublesome because of the curse the gods had laid on him for killing Hector's son and after that Poseidon went after him for killing Polyphemus. He struggled for ten years but survived at he end.

First he meets the Cícones (that helped Troy) but after taking their city, they come back with a whole army and they had to run to the ships in order to survive. Then he stops at the country of the Lotus Eaters where their will to get back home is tested. After deciding to continue the trip and go back home they end up in Polyphemus`s island. He manages to escape after giving wine to the mosnter and when it fell asleep, blinding it.

They get to Aeolia soon after leaving the Cyclops. There Aeolus gave Odysseus a bag holding all the winds, which makes them sail to Ithaca really fast. When they are close enough to see Ithaca`s lights the crew open the bag and the winds get them back to Aeolia where the God of the Winds ultrajed dismiss them. Since they don`t have a choice, they start the hard way to Ithaca without the god`s help. They stayed at the sea for seven days until they stop at Telépio (city of the Lestrigones) and only Odysseus`s ship gets out in one piece, while all the others sink. They get to Circe`s island after a few days and tough a rush arrival and a few problems in the begging, they stay there for a year. When they're planning to head back to Ithaca, Circe advises them to pass by the underworld. There they talk to lots of people and specially Tiresias (he was one of the wisest men ever and could see the future) and after hearing a prophecy they get back to Circe`s and then restart the long way back home.

They pass byt the Sirens (Odysseus heard them and survived), Scylla and Charybdis (they pass close to Scylla) and then they stop at the island of Apollo`s (some say Helio`s) cattle. Only the captain doesn`t eat their meat and is the only that survives after a storm get them in the sea. The gods sent him to Ogígia (Calypso`s island) adn there he stays for 7 years. Finally he gets to the Feaces who take him home.

He overcome some problems of his arrival and together with Telemaco and other two faithful serves he kills all suitors (only a singer and a musician get out alives because of Telemacos' mercy). Doing that Ithaca enters in chaos and the fathers of the suitors go after Odysseus and his followers looking for revenge. The gods stop the civil war in the middle of the battle and peace is made, keeping Ithaca from destruction.

Odysseus would die after long years of righteousness rule, in a land where he could see no sea.

The Sea of Monsters
Percy and Annabeth's adventure greatly resembles the Odyssey, with many of the same locations and monsters. His fatal flaw is noted to be hubris.

Trivia

 * Ajax hang himself after loosing Achilles' armor to Odysseus in a poetry contest and even in death Ajax didn't forgive him