Homer's Odyssey is an epic about a man's return home after fighting in war. The protagonist of the epic is Odysseus, but interactions and stories of his fellow veterans abound. The story of Agamemnon's death upon his return home is told and referred to several times and serves as a warning to Odysseus of the dangers that might exist for him in Ithaca. The ghost of Agamemnon is encountered by Odysseus in the land of the dead and is quite different from the friend he knew and fought with at Troy. Despite his high place in life and his exploits in war, Agamemnon demonstrates the suffering of the returning veteran. Agamemnon survived the ten-year Trojan War, even as other great warriors such as Achilleus fell. Accounts of the war are widespread and it is described in glorified terms by veterans and non-participants alike. Agamemnon is often singled out for his leadership and achievements. Demodokos sings of the "famous deeds of men in this adventure" and "that lord of men, Agamemnon" while performing for Odysseus on Alkinoos. (VIII, 73-74, 77). Agamemnon stands out as one of the “bronze-armored chiefs of the Achaeans” who fought at Troy and is recognized as a major hero of the war (IV, 496). Like other war heroes, Agamemnon is a powerful king. He was able to raise men to follow him to Troy. He is designated by the epithet “shepherd of the people” (III, 156). In the underworld, said Achilleus to Agamemnon, son of Atreus, we thought that all your days you were favored above all other heroes by Zeus who delights in thunder, because you were the lord of a people numerous and strong in the land of the Trojans, where we the Achaeans suffered hardships. (XXIV, 24-27) Achilles recognizes Agamemnon in the middle of the paper. His interactions with his wife are fraught with tension, and he is saddened when he reflects on the men lost in the war. and the death of his brother. The Trojan War veterans from The Odyssey managed to defeat their enemies on the battlefield. The end of the fight did not mean a relief of the burden for them. War is cruel, but these men see in it a glory that they cannot find outside. Achilleus' death in war is treated with ceremony and respect. Agamemnon, having survived this same war, dies a pitiful death and Clytaimestra "was so hard that his hands would not close [his] eyes and his mouth as [he] went towards Hades" (XI, 425-426). Dying at home meant being denied even simple acts of dignity. Thinking back to Hades, Agamemnon characterizes the veteran's struggles when he asks, "What pleasure did I have when I finished the fight?" (XXIV, 95).