Our hero Ulysses has been trying to return home, and when he reaches the isle of Calypso he is tempted to stay. This is just another trial he has to overcome. One could say that her cooperation with Ulysses is a sort of affirmation that he has passed the trial, that he really does wish to return home and that he won't quit. Calypso loads supplies on his boat, so it seems she likes Ulysses. I really didn't find this part interesting. What was really interesting is book eight, when Ulysses is treated like an honored guest. Here we see his personality clearly. Here he is tested in physical ability and in discipline.
Alcinous holds a contest of sport, and the participants each throw discus. Ulysses is taking no part, and says that he is past his prime, which i assume is what this phrase means :"Sad from my natal hour my days have ran". He says this after Eurylaus speaks to everyone but Ulysses is particular that the stranger should try a throw, because of Ulysses' physique. So Ulysses declines politely. But then Eurylaus shames Ulysses into participating, saying only sons of fame, the native athletes on the island are great, and that Ulysses is not as good as them.
Here we see that what follows is a response that tells me that Ulysses is very prideful, has honor, dignity, and to be told by this youngster that he is no athlete, is insulting to him. He is possessed of hubris, and says that he is amongst the sons of fame, that he can tolerate the insult, and says "no more I waive to prove the hero--slander stings the brave." What he says here is that he won't sit idly by and while someone speaks of him as anything but a hero, as weak or old. So he has an "I'll show you!" attitude. He's not a humble person. "Such was was my boast while vigour crown'd my days, now care surrounds me, and my force decays;" Here he says he is past his prime and he is past the point in his life where he would openly boast that he was the best, in his youthful days. He then astonishes everyone around when he hurls a rock bigger than a discus twice as far as the other athletes hurled their own.
Racing wrestling, discus, and gauntlet, . What is the gauntlet?
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