How is Odysseus loyal and brave? What is meant by an epic hero?

Odysseus is loyal to
his crew and brave when it comes to treating them fairly. For example, when the men he sends to
check out the Land of the Lotus Eaters eat the lotus and no longer desire to return to Ithaca
with him, he physically forces them back to the ship. He knows that they truly do, in their
heart of hearts, want to return to their families and homes and that it is only the lotus fruit
that compels them to remain there. He is, therefore, extremely loyal to them when he manhandles
them and makes them get back on board.

Moreover, although Odysseus knows the
danger that awaits his ship as it passes near Scylla and Charybdis, he chooses to wait above
deck, casting in his lot with the rest of the crew. He knows that one of Scylla's six heads
could catch...