On countless occasions goddesses who wish to see him succeed help Odysseus. This is quite rare. Who would think that the goddesses would assist a mere mortal in his quest to return home? In a situation as unique as Odysseus's, he needs all the help he can get, so the help is more than welcome, by some. .
Many traits go into being a trickster. One could describe a trickster as being a lying, deceiving backstabber. All of those are true. However, those are also key elements to survival, especially in a land of the gods. Many could argue that there is no honor in those traits, and in fact, they are correct. The false premise of a hero is given in far too many movies and books. How many times has the hero set out to avenge a loved one or friend, encountering countless enemies and prevailing with all honors intact? All in all that is the classic storyline, however did they encounter gods or goddesses? Did one eyed monsters fight against them, or perhaps they were forced to journey island to island, only to be gone for years at a time? Not likely. Odysseus puts a new definition on the word "hero", even though this story was believed to have bee written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. One must learn to adapt to his/her surroundings, and use the resources at hand to their advantage. Whether it is to deceive a goddess, trick someone into believing they are your friends, everything is done for the survival of the hero and the hero's crew.
Odysseus has an important power, a power that enables him to seek the assistance of whomever he desires. This power of deception allows him to encounter near impossible odds and with the assistance of a few goddesses, he is back to his journey with more allies for his quest. His ability to womanize is uncanny. With both his good looks and strong intuition at his aid, he can manipulate any of the goddesses to assist him in numerous quandaries such as the time Athena; the daughter of Zeus, aides Odysseus is Book 13.