Pspspsps Wolfy, I'm very curious what your thoughts are on the differences between Homeric vs Epic Odysseus. This is an invite to infodump/ramble if you have strong opinions on this
I think the main difference is that it took EPIC!odysseus an entire act to get to where homeric Odysseus is, if that makes sense? Then again iliad odysseus and odyssey odysseus are also pretty different in their own right, but that's probably what you get when putting a man in war (ancient war, where honor and traditions were still upheld) and spooky monster situations (it's apparent from the encounter with polyphemus that this is already Vastly different from home and from troy. the cyclops do not follow xenia, what's to say the others do?)
But again, morality and tradition are still separate things, especially when bringing the gods into it. The law of hospitality is definitely one to respect (iirc it's also a major thing in norse myths) regardless of your philosophy in the importance of human life. It's why the monsters throughout the odyssey are so terrifying, because it present the concept of xenia but all wrong. it takes the rules they live by and bends it every which way. but I digress,
Point is, Odysseus can hold up certain virtues not because they're the moral, kind thing to do, but because it's a way of life (and the best way to not get him or his men killed). He is not immune to murder. In fact, he will murder if the situation calls for it. A lot of his instincts are actually to murder, it's just that he often restrains himself because of consequences. He doesn't derive joy from slaughter (I'd say the war haunts him severely) but it would be wrong to say that he doesn't want to kill, or that he isn't the same as any other soldier on the field in pursuit of glory or fame. He is in fact ruthless in pursuit of his goals. Whatever it takes to win the war. whatever it takes to get him home. whatever it takes to keep him alive. whatever it takes to win him his homecoming and his glory both. He is not a good person. (re: the odyssey)
I'm not saying he doesn't have a shred of goodness in him (he's human after all) but I am saying that it can coexist with his end serves the means attitude. He is human and he wants everything and he gets kicked around island to island for wanting and i love that for him