A good leader is known by its influence, commands, and strong will. Odysseus in the Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald, and Oedipus in Oedipus the King by Sophocles, translated by Robert Fagles; both characters demonstrate strong leadership by characterizing traits towards strength, courage, nobility, confidence, and great insight. These two different personalities prove similar characteristics toward a good leadership developing their knowledge and power differently towards themselves and their public.
Odysseus, the protagonist of the odyssey, has defining characteristics traits of a Homeric leader developing power, bravery, dignity, a thirst for glory, and confidence in his authority. His most distinguishing trait, however, is his sharp intellect. Odysseus's quick thinking helps him out of some very tough situations. He fought among the Greek heroes at Troy; he struggled to return to his kingdom in Ithaca. Odysseus is the husband of Queen Penelope and father of Prince Telemachus. Though a strong courageous warrior, he most re-owned for his cunning. He is a favorite of the goddess Athena, who often sends him divine aid, but a bitter enemy of Posedium that gives him a tough time achieving his goals.

Oedipus, the protagonist of Oedipus the King, is a man of swift action and great insight. At the Opening of Oedipus the King, he proves his qualities that make him an excellent ruler who anticipates his subjects' needs. He becomes a king of Thebes before the action of Oedipus the king begins. He is renowned for his intelligence and his ability to solve riddles. He saved the city of Thebes and was made its king by solving the riddle of the sphinx, the supernatural being that had held the city capture. Yet Oedipus is stubbornly blind to the truth about himself. His name's literal meaning ("swollen foot") is the clue to his identity. He was taken from the house of Laius as a baby and left in the mountains with his feet bound together. On his way to Thebes, he killed his biological father, not knowing who he was, and preceded to marry Jocasta his biological mother, not knowing who she was either. But Oedipus swiftness and confides continue until the very end by his interrogation, and motion trying to keep pace with his fate, even if it goes well beyond his reach.

These two leaders distribute same traits and approach as when referring to ruling. For example: in the beginning of the Odyssey, Odysseus was not much alert into his ruling because he was long lost, but his journey back home gave him more strength. As he immediately approached his city, he used his intelligence in hiding his identity to figure the wrongs that had happened in his absence. As soon as he figure his plans, he took over using all his powers and sending the idiotic to the places they deserved to be because of the damage they caused Odysseus and his family. In Oedipus the king, Oedipus used all his powers at the beginning in solving the riddle and saving Thebes, after he had used all his strength he then found out the absurd tragedy of marrying his mother Jocasta and killing his father. At the end of Oedipus the king he finds his peace, giving his trust to Theseus. Giving up his intellect powers he continues to precede his normal life in peace.

These two authors seem to have different meaning of a strong leader in ruling its nation. Homer's ideal ended in a fairy tale hero, in a dramatic and humorous journey coming to save his kingdom, and having a happy ending in achieving the right goals. Sophocle's design of the myth aroused with a larger intellectual and emotional reaction, with his strong intelligence saving his city, and came to a strong and powerful start, giving the reader the notion of a clever leader. But as he arose from his leadership, giving up because of the discovery in his personal striking life, did not give him an ending of a good ruler.