"The Odyssey" is Homer's epic poem about the struggle that the Greek hero Odysseus suffered to return home after the Trojan War. Odysseus is the hero of the Odyssey and the king of Ithaca. He is strong, courageous and incredibly intelligent.
The effect of the epic simile in lines 118-131 of the Odysseys, Part 2 is to show how thoroughly Odysseus men depended on him.