What character trait does Odysseus display in "The Land of the Dead" that he does not reveal in his adventure with the cyclops?

In book 11 of The Odyssey, Odysseus displays humility in the “Land of the Dead” that he does not show in his dealings with the Cyclops. Humility through respecting the rules and rituals of the land, not what he assumes should be his rights. Humility in the land of the dead and hubris in dealing with Polyphemus.

To begin with let’s look at the hubris, or brash and arrogant character that Odysseus demonstrates in book 9. When Odysseus and his men enter the cave of Polyphemus he makes the arrogant assumption the occupant of the cave must follow the rules of hospitality that are the tradition of Greece. It is this belief that ultimately costs some of his men their lives. Once Odysseus realizes that the Cyclops does not follow the rules as Odysseus believes they should be, he becomes enraged and seeks vengeance as well as escape from the cave. Tricking Polyphemus and ultimately blinding the Cyclops in his escape Odysseus should be relieved at his escape yet he taunts the giant. It is the taunting of Polyphemus by Odysseus that leads to Odysseus being cursed by Poseidon. Hubris has led to Odysseus’s inability to get home.

In stark contrast to the arrogant Odysseus of the Cyclops’ island, the humbled Odysseus shows proper respect for the traditions of the land by performing the rites that pay tribute and show honor to the dead.

“I drew my sharp sword from beside my thigh, and dug a pit of a cubit's length this way and that, and around it poured a libation to all the dead, first with milk and honey, thereafter with sweet wine, and in the third place with water, and I sprinkled thereon white barley meal. And I earnestly entreated the powerless heads of the dead, vowing that when I came to Ithaca I would sacrifice in my halls a barren heifer, the best I had, and pile the altar with goodly gifts, and to Teiresias alone would sacrifice separately a ram, wholly black, the goodliest of my flocks.”

It is ritual that shows his humility when dealing with the shades. He does not command the spirits but invites them and makes promises to again honor them when he gets home. In stark contrast to the challenges and threats made to Polyphemus.