Once they arrive on the isles off the shoreline of the Cyclopes the reader is exposed to a glance of Odysseus' weakness in examining unnecessary risks. His men are rewarded with nine goats per ship, ten for Odysseus' and of course they accept them. Odysseus was fascinated by this mysterious land where no crops have ever been planted, goats were plentiful, and grapes grew from the earth. His eagerness would soon jeopardize his men. Once Odysseus and his crew finally meet the Cyclopes, it is promising that any kind of reward was thrown out the window by the risk and two men were torn apart and eaten instantly. The crew had the anticipation to "eat and run" yet eagerness was proved to be a high risk Odysseus was yet again willing to take. After creating a great plan to escape, resulting in more risk they escape back with the sheep to their ship as their reward deceiving death once more. Odysseus' dignity over takes again and "blinds" his good judgment, much to the dismay of his fellow men, takes an irrelevant risk by taunting the Cyclopes. At this point in The Odyssey the morale of Odysseus and his crew is at an ultimate low and their leader has lost sight of his claimed to be utmost longing reward returning home.
Upon arriving at the island of Aeolia, Odysseus and his crew are genuinely rewarded for their travels and shown great accommodation. Odysseus is privately given a reward for his travels with a bag that will either stir or calm the winds which is ever needed for their return. This gift recaptures the main focus of the entire poem and he is certain that he will be home soon. However, when the time comes to leave the island he is so full of pride that he refuses help, but he doesn't want any mistakes made of any kind. This mere risk of trying to do it all alone, leads to the crew once again feeling as if they're entitled, they open the bag looking for rewards of their own, upon Odysseus' slumber.