Ulysses is the Roman name for Odysseus, a Greek hero who was the king of Ithaca. After fighting in the Trojan War, Odysseus embarked on a long journey home that involved encounters with mythical creatures. These included the Cyclops Polyphemus, who Odysseus blinded, the god Aeolus who gave him winds to travel home, and the deadly sirens whose song attracted sailors to crash upon rocks.