In-Class Sketches for Books 7, 8, and 24

In class we were told to draw what we thought was one of the most important events from Book 24, so I chose the very last part where Athena tells Odysseus to stop fighting, or else to fear Zeus's wrath.  As you can see, my drawing abilities are beyond compare.  And yes, Odysseus's neck was really that long.

We also had to draw important scenes from Book 7 and 8, so I chose the scenes where Odysseus hugs Arete's knees and asks her and her husband to help him on his journey home. For Book 8, I chose the part when Odysseus throws a discus farther than anyone else at Phaiacia.  Again, my prowess in drawing is displayed.  I was aiming for the clothing to look like togas, but instead it looks like they are all wearing sack dresses.  

The Odyssey - Book 23 Notes

• The nurse went upstairs to tell Penelope that Odysseus had finally returned home. and had killed all of the suitors.
• When the nurse told Penelope that her husband had finally returned home, Penelope didn't believe her.
• When the nurse finally convinced her that the suitors had been killed, Penelope hugged the nurse and asked her how Odysseus had done it.  
• The nurse said that she didn't know how he had done it- she didn't see and didn't ask.
• Penelope, however, still didn't believe that her husband was home, and said that it was one of the gods who had killed the suitors. 
• The nurse tried to convince Penelope again, but she still doubted what the nurse told her. 
• Penelope decided to go to the hall to talk to Telemachus and to see the bodies of the suitors.
• When Penelope entered the hall, she sat down across from Odysseus, wondering if she should question her husband, or kiss his head and hands.  Penelope decided to say nothing.
• There was silence for a long time, until Telemachus became angry at his mother for not welcoming Odysseus home.
• Even after this, Penelope still doubted that the man in front of her was Odysseus.  She said that if he was her husband, then they would both know, because they share secrets that only the know about.
• Odysseus and Telemachus decided to turn to other maters, like covering up the death of the suitors in a way so that all of their friends would not want to avenge their deaths.
• Odysseus came up with a plan which would make all of the people in the town think that Penelope had finally chosen one of the suitors to marry.  This way, no rumors could be spread about the death of the suitors.
• Odysseus was given a bath, and sat down facing Penelope again. Odysseus told the nurse to make him a bed somewhere else, seeing as Penelope refused to talk to him.
• Penelope decided to test Odysseus, to see if he really was her husband.  She told the nurse to move the bed that Odysseus had made himself into the hallway so that he could sleep on that. 
• This made Odysseus very angry.  He asked who moved his bed, and then described how he had built it, using a live olive tree as one of the bedposts.
• When Penelope heard this, she knew that her husband had finally returned home.  She asked Odysseus not to be mad at her and told Odysseus that there had been so many impostors pretending to be him, that couldn't be sure it was actually her husband until he could tell her about the bed that Odysseus had made himself.  
• Odysseus told Penelope about the task he had to complete now that he was home, given to him by the prophet Teirsias in the underworld.
• At last it was time to go to bed, and Odysseus told Penelope all about his travels and adventures. 
• At the end of his tale, Odysseus and Penelope fell asleep.
• The next morning, Odysseus rose and set out to fin his father, Leartes, to tell him that he was home.

The Odyssey - Book 22 Notes

• Odysseus took aim at Antinoos, who was drinking from a goblet and not thinking of bloodshed.
• Odysseus let the arrow fly, and it went into Antinoos's neck.
• All of the other men were angered by Antinoos's death, and looked around for weapons, but there were none in the hall. 
• When Odysseus told the remaining suitors that he was Odysseus, Eurymachus tried to make Antinoos take all of the blame.  Odysseus didn't buy his tale, and said that even if Eurymachus gave Odysseus all the land he owned an more, Odysseus was still going to kill all of the suitors as a payment for what they have done.
• Seeing that Odysseus was still going to kill all of them, Eurymachus decided to fight Odysseus instead.
• Eurymachus ran at Odysseus with his dagger, but while he was in mid-jump, Odysseus shot him down.
• Next Amphinomos tried to run for the door, but Telemachus killed him with his spear.
• Telemachus said to his father that he would go get weapons, shields, and helmets for them, and ran off.
• Melanthios suggested to the other suitors that Odysseus and Telemachus put the extra weapons in the storehouse.  He offered to go get weapons for the suitors and then ran off.
• Odysseus saw the suitors arming themselves, and realised that Melanthios was sneaking into the storehouse.  Telemachus ordered Eumaios and the driver to stop Melanthios from taking weapons.  
• Eumaios saw Melanthios sneaking off to get more weapons, and asked Odysseus what he should do with Melanthios, once he is captured.
• Odysseus told Eumaios to let him live, but top tie his hands and feet together and then tie him to the beams of the roof.
• The swineherd and the driver found Melanthios in the storehouse, and did just as Odysseus had told them to do, and then went back to the hall.
• Athena then came to the hall in the shape of Mentor.  Athena berated Odysseus, telling him that he was not as brave of wise as he was at Troy.  Athena then flew up to the rafters in the shape of a swallow.
• Agelaos came up with a plan to throw spears at Odysseus in volleys and see if any of the spears hit him.  
• The suitors threw their first volley, but Athena made all of the spears miss.
• Odysseus organized a counter attack, and took down two of the suitors.  The swineherd and the drover each took out a suitor as well.
• The suitors volleyed again, and this time Athena made only most of them miss.  One spear grazed the wrist of Telemachus, and another grazed the shoulder of Eumaios.
• Another counter attack by Odysseus left five suitors dead.
• The fighting continued, and more suitors dropped dead. 
• Athena put her aegis-cape in front of Odysseus and his men, and sent the remainder of the suitors run in fear.
• One man, Leiodes ran up to Odysseus, asking him to spare his life as he was only the diviner.  However, Odysseus did not spare him, and put Agelaos's sword through Leiodes's throat.
• Another man, the minstrel, had escaped death, and decided to put himself at the mercy of Odysseus. 
• The minstrel ran up to Odysseus and hugged his knees, asking to be spared.  Telemachus, who was near by, convinced him to spare the minstrel, and asked that Medon be spared too, if he was not already dead. 
• Medon ran up to Telemachus, begging to be spared. Odysseus spared him, and told Medon and the minstrel to wait outside, away from the fight.
• Odysseus checked every part of the hall, making sure that no one was hiding from him, and then asked Telemachus to get the nurse who had first recognized Odysseus, and her into the hall.
• When the nurse saw the dead suitors, she was overjoyed.  Odysseus asked her to name which of the maids in the house had been faithful to Odysseus while he was away, and which had not.  
• Odysseus asked the nurse to bring the unfaithful maids into the hall. 
• Odysseus ordered the maids to pick up all of the dead bodies of the suitors and bring them into the courtyard.  When they were done with that, Odysseus made all of them clean all of the blood up with sponges.  
• The women were then herded outside into the space in between the house and the walls, so that they couldn't escape.  
• Telemachus suggested that the women did not deserve a quick death, so they were all hung in a row.
• Melanthios was brought out from the storehouse, and then his nose, ears, hands, and feet were all cut off and then fed to the dogs. 
• When the hall was finally clean, Odysseus sent the nurse to go get the rest of the women and bring them to the hall.  When they saw him, they were happy to see him finally home.

The Odyssey - Book 21 Notes

• Penelope came up with a plan to choose which suitor to marry.  She would take twelve axes that were shaped like "P"s, and a bow of Odysseus's.  Whoever could shoot an arrow through the axes could have her hand in marriage.  However, the bow was so stiff, that no man could easily bend it, except for Odysseus.
• Penelope retrieved the bow from the storage room, and then approached the men with her deal.  
• Telemachus decided to try first, just for fun, and couldn't pull the string of the bow back.
• Antinoos ordered all of the other suitors to try to shoot the arrow, but one by one, said that they didn't have the strength to pull back the string.  
• Then suitors tried to warm and grease the bow, but that still didn't help.
• As the suitors were trying to shoot the arrow, Odysseus pulled aside Eumaios and Philoitios (the drover), and asked them if they would defend Odysseus if he returned.  After they both replied that, yes, they would, Odysseus revealed his real self to the two servants.  
• Odysseus then asked Eumaios to bring him the bow and the quiver, as the suitors wouldn't let him get it himself.
• Eumaios agreed, and the three returned to the hall.
• When they retruned, Eurymachus was trying to use the bow, but with no success.
• Antinoos suggested that they put the bow down until tomorrow, when they would try again.  
• When the suitors had washed their hands and had a drink of wine, Odysseus asked for a try with the bow.
• Antinoos said no at first, but Penelope let him have a turn anyway.  Eurymachus protested that he didn't want everyone hearing that none of the suitors were able to bend the bow, when a beggar could, but Penelope still insisted that everyone who wanted a try was given one.
• Telemachus said that, since he was the man of the house, he give the bow to the "beggar", and that she go back to her rooms.
• Penelope went back to her room and fell asleep.
• While Odysseus was getting ready, Eumaios went to the nanny, and said that Telemachus had asked that all of the women return to their rooms, and didn't open the doors, no matter what they heard.
• Odysseus handled the bow so well, that all of the suitors began to worry.  At this time, Zeus sent a thunderclap down over Odysseus's palace.  
• Then, Odysseus easily put an arrow on the string, pulled the string back, and shot the arrow through the ax heads, all while sitting down.
• Odysseus turned to Telemachus  and gave him a sign that he had been waiting for.
• Telemachus grabbed the remaining sword in the hall, and stood next to his father, facing the suitors.

The Odyssey - Book 20 Characters

Ctesippos: one of the suitors, threw a stool at Odysseus, but he dodged
Agelaos Damastorides: another suitor, urged Telemachus to get his mother to choose one of the suitors to marry

The Odyssey - Book 20 Notes

• Odysseus went to sleep that night thinking of his revenge and how he would face all of the suitors with just himself and Telemachus on his side.
• Athena assured Odysseus that he had a god on his side, so he can't lose.  After his talk with Athena, Odysseus fell asleep. 
• The next morning Penelope woke up crying and wishing she was dead.
• When the sun rose, Odysseus woke up and heard her voice.  Odysseus prayed for the gods to send him a sign.
• Zeus heard his prayer, and a thunderclap  was heard at Odysseus's palace.
• When Telemachus woke up, he asked his nanny if Odysseus had been cared for over the night.  The nanny replied that he had. 
• The nanny then called for the other maids to prepare the hall for another night of feasting.
• The swineherd came to Odysseus's house with his three best pigs for that night.  
• Philoitios joined the two, and asked who the new stranger (Odysseus) was.  He welcomed Odysseus to Ithaca, and wished him luck in his life.
• Odysseus sensed that Philoitios was a smart man, so Odysseus promised him that he would be here the day that his master returned.
• While they were talking, the suitors were discussing their plan to murder Telemachus.  
• Amphinomos saw an eagle fly by with a dove in its claws, and predicted to the others that the plan would not work, and that they should scrap the idea.  
• The men decided to turn their thoughts instead to their dinner.  
• Telemachus made sure that Odysseus had a comfortable spot, and warned everyone else not to be rude to him unless they wanted a fight.  
• Athena, however, wanted Odysseus to be mad and provoked by the suitors, so she made the men say mean things to Odysseus.  One man, Ctesippos, threw a stool at Odysseus, but he dodged it.
• Agelaos Damastorides urged Telemachus to talk to his mother and tell her to get married, seeing as there was little chance that Odysseus was coming home.  
• Telemachus swore that he wasn't trying to delay Penelope's marriage to one of the suitors.
• As the suitors were laughing at what Telemachus said, the seer that Telemachus had brought home from Pylos saw into the men's future.  The seer saw the men with tears running down from their eyes, and their blood all over the walls and the table.
• The seer called out to the men, warning them of this, but the suitors just made fun of Theoclymenos, and called him blind.
• Theoclemonos declared that he had a good pair of eyes and a sane mind, and warned the suitors one last time of their impending death.  After he had said this, he walked out of Odysseus's palace.
• While the men were eating their meal, Penelope was sitting outside of the door, listening to everything that they said.  She decided to get out Odysseus's bow and prepare a contest for the suitors.

The Odyssey - Book 19 Characters

Eurycleia: the nanny that raised Odysseus and was the first person (besides Telemachus) to recognize him as the Prince

The Odyssey - Book 19 Summary

    Odysseus left the hall and found Telemachus, where he reminded his son to take the suitor's weapons away with the excuse that the smoke was ruining them.  Telemachus called his nanny, Eurycleia, over and told her he was going to put the weapons in the hall away, and asked her to make sure all of the maids were away in their rooms.
    As father and son put away the armour and weapons, Athena went with them, invisible, with a bright lamp, which cast a bright light over everything.  When Telemachus saw this, he was amazed that he could see all of the walls and the cieling, and said that a god must be among them to make a light like this.  Odysseus quieted him, and told him to go back to his own room and go to sleep.  Odysseus said that he wanted to talk to Penelope and the maids a little bit more.
    As Odysseus was standing there, Penelope came out of her room and sat on a couch in the room.  When one of the maids, Melantho, saw him, she began making fun of Odysseus as she had at diner.  Odysseus threatened to tell Telemachus of the things she said.  Penelope heard this, and agreed with Odysseus.
    Penelope started her inquiry of Odysseus by asking him about his history.  Odysseus replied with a  fake story about being the Prince of Crete when Odysseus came to the island on his way to Troy.  To really make sure that the "beggar" was telling the truth, Penelope gave a test to Odysseus at his house.  She asked the "beggar" what clothes Odysseus was wearing and who was with him.  Odysseus described the purple robe that he himself had been wearing before with such great detail, that Penelope began crying because of the memories that the description brought back.  The "beggar" assured Penelope that the last time he had heard of Odysseus, he was at Phaiacia, and was coming home soon.  Penelope prayed that what the "beggar" said was true.
    After they had finished talking, Penelope ordered her maids to wash the "beggar's" feet.  Odysseus said that he wouldn't trust anyone to touch his feet, unless they were old and hardened like him.  Penelope called over Eurycleia, who had raised Odysseus, to wash the "baggar's" feet.  As Eurycleia brought out a basin to wash his feet, Odysseus remembered a distinctive scar that he had above his knee.  Odysseus had gotten this scar when he was child, and was hunting with some relatives of his.  A boar had come out of the brush, and Odysseus had attacked it, not before it had put it's tusk into Odysseus's leg.  When Eurycleia felt the scar, she dropped Odysseus's leg into the basin in surprise, spilling all of the water.  She looked over at Penelope, eager to share the good news, but Odysseus grabbed her and made her promise not to tell anyone about his return.  Eurycleia also agreed to tell Odysseus the name of all of the servants who had besmirched him while he was away.
    Eurycleia went to get more water to finish washing Odysseus's feet, and when she had finished, Penelope asked the "beggar" if she could ask him another question.  Penelope told Odysseus about a dream that she had, in which she saw geese by a pond who came out of the pond to be fed.  But as they left the lake, an eagle had come and killed all of them.  Penelope cried in her dream for the death of the geese until the eagle came back, perched on a branch, and began talking to her.  The eagle told her to be courageous, and that this was not a dream, but something that was yet to come.  She asked Odysseus what this dream meant.
    Odysseus said that there was only one explanation as to what her dream could mean.  He told her that the geese represented the suitors, and the eagle had come to kill them all, without leaving any of them alive.  Penelope was still uncertain, and described the different gates that a dream could go through to get to a sleeper.  One, made of horn, let truthful dreams through, and the other, made of polished elephant horn, only let through false dreams.
    After she had finished this explanation  she asked the "beggar's" opinion again.  She told him of a contest she was planning to hold, so that she could pick the best suitor to marry, and get it over with.  Odysseus urged her to put off the contest, because Odysseus was near by.  After they had talked about all of this, Penelope suggested that they head to their beds and get some sleep.

The Odyssey - Book 18 Characters

Irus: a beggar who lives in Ithaca, challenged Odysseus to a fit, but lost
Melantho: one of the servants at Odysseus's palace who offended Odysseus when she thought he was a beggar

The Odyssey - Chapter 18

    At this point in time, another beggar arrived to Odysseus's palace.  This beggar was named Arnaeus, but everyone called him Irus (after Iris, the messenger for the gods) because he sent messages for anyone who would give him food.  When he sees Odysseus disguised as a beggar sitting at the doorway, Irus tried to get rid of Odysseus by challenging him to a fight.  Odysseus tried to avoid the fight by saying that the doorway was big enough for the both of them, but this just made Irus angry and insisted that he and Odysseus fight.
    As the two beggars got closer to a fight, Antinoos saw them, and suggested to his fellow suitors that they egg the beggars on.  The men agreed and surrounded the beggars, and Antinoos offered a deal to the winner.  Whoever won, he said, would get to have first pick over the blood pudding that was the main course of the meal.  Odysseus turned to the suitors, and made them promise not to help Irus in the fight, but to only stand by and watch the two men.
    After being assured that Irus would not be aided in the fight, Odysseus pulled his rags up so that he could fight.  When he did this, everyone could see his strong arms and legs, and knew that Irus was in trouble.  Irus himself was very scared at the prospect of fighting Odysseus, now, and had to be dragged into the circle.  Antinoos chided Irus for being a coward and threatened to sell Irus as a slave if he lost the fight.
    As the two beggars stood across from each other, Odysseus couldn't decide wether or not to kill Irus on the spot, or to hit him hard enought to knock him to the ground.  Odysseus decided on the latter so that the suitors would not become suspicious.  Then, the fight began.  Odysseus hit Irus in the jaw, pulverizing the bone, and sending Irus to the floor, moaning.  The suitors all laughed at him and went back to their meal.  Odysseus dragged Irus outside to the courtyard and gave the beggar his bag full with the scraps that Odysseus had been given earlier.
    Odysseus went back inside to laughter from the suitors and much praise.  Odysseus was served with a blood pudding, as promised, and he was praised once more by Antinoos.  While he was eating, Odysseus gave Anphinomus, another suitor, a final warning that the owner of the house was near, and would not take kindly to the behavior of the suitors.  This troubled Anphimnomus, but it was destined that Telemachus would kill him, so the suitor stopped worrying about it.
    While the men were eating, Athena put an idea in Penelope's head.  Penelope decided to go out in front of all the suitors and excite them, and to have a word with her son.  She told one of her maids what she wanted to do, and the maid suggested that she take a bath first, so that her cheeks wouldn't be stained with tears.  Penelope refused the bath, but asked for her maid to fetch other maids to go with her, so she wouldn't be alone with so many men.
    After she had said this, the first maid left Penelope's chamber to give orders.  While the maid was away, Athena made Penelope fall asleep, and the goddess made the queen beautiful once again.  After Athena had finished and released Penelope from her sleep, Penelope went down to the hall to face the suitors with her maids by her side.  When the suitors saw her, they all went weak at the knees, but Penelope went right to her son.  When she reached him, she told him that he had grown strong and handsome, like his father, but he was not as wise as his father, to be hanging around a crowd like the suitors.  Telemachus assured his mother that he was not as stupid as she believed him to be, and that he wished that someone would over power the suitors, like Irus had been over powered.
    While the mother and son were talking, Eurymachus called out to Penelope, praising her beauty.  She replied by asking what good beauty was to her if her husband was gone?  She told the suitors that the last thing Odysseus said to her was to take care of the house and Telemachus while he was away.  If he did not return by the time Telemachus had grown a beard, she would be allowed to marry which ever man she wanted and to leave the house.  Penelope said that soon, she would have to choose a man to marry, and that the behavior of this set of suitors is unlike most others, where the men would present the women with gifts.  When Odysseus heard this, he realized that Penelope was trying to get the suitors to give her gifts, but her mond was on other things, and he was pleased.
    Antinoos stepped up and said that they would gladly give her gifts, but none of them would go home until she chose someone to marry.  At this, each of the suitors presented Penelope with a lavish gift, which she accepted and took back up to her room.  At this time, it had grown dark outside, and the palace prepared for the night.  As the braziers were being lit, Odysseus suggested to the servants that they go up to Penelope while he lit the lamps for light.  One of the servants criticized Odysseus, calling him stupid and brash for coming here ans speaking constantly.  This made Odysseus mad, and threatened to tell Telemachus what she had said if she didn't leave.
    The suitors began to get bored, so Eurymachus started insulting Odysseus to make the other suitors laugh.  Eurymachus said Odysseus would rather beg for his food than work for it.  Odysseus replied that he could get more farm work done in a day than Eurymachus could.  This made Eurymachus angry, so he threw a stool at Odysseus.  Odysseus ducked, and the stool hit the arm of a servant serving wine.  The wine fell to the floor, and the suitors started complaining about this beggar causing too much trouble and ruining the feast.  Telemachus and Anphinomus calmed everyone down, and suggested that they all  have more wine.

The Odyssey - Book 17 Characters

Theoclymenos: a prophet that Telemachus brought home from Pylos
Melanthios: the goatherd and aslo one of the suitors

The Odyssey - Book 17 Summary

    The next morning, Telemachus rose early and headed off into town.  Before he left, he said to the swineherd to take the beggar into town so that he could beg for his dinner.  Odysseus agreed to this proposition and asked the swineherd to take him into town when the sun had risen a bit more as well as the temperature.
    Telemachus set off for the town thinking of the fight that would happen that night.  When he finally reached the palace, he greeted his mother, she asked what news he had heard of Odysseus's return.  Telemachus didn't want to talk about it then, and suggested to his mother that she should take a bath and then pray to Zeus while he retrieved the beggar he had brought home from Pylos.  Telemachus went out into the town.  The suitors saw him and crowded around him, welcoming him home, but Telemachus could see their hatred for him.  Telemachus moved on and met the sailor with whom he had entrusted his treasures from King Menelaus and the beggar.  Telemachus asked the sailor to keep the treasures for a little while longer, but he took the beggar back to the palace.
   When Telemachus returned again, Penelope said ratted Telemachus out for not telling her the news he had learned about his father.   Telemachus told her everything that Menelaus had said.  WHen Telemachus had finished relaying this information, the beggar, who was the prophet Theoclymenos, declared that at that very moment Odysseus was in Ithaca somewhere, planning his revenge on the suitors.  During this, the suitors were entertaining themselves in the courtyard as usual, when one of the servants called to dinner with Penelope, Telemachus, and the prophet.
    At the same time, Odysseus and the swineherd set out for the town.  Not far from the city, they met the goatherd (Melanthios), who was one of the suitors.  As he passed, Melanthios made fun of the two, calling the man who he did not know was Odysseus a dirty-pig, and berating him for not being able to do anything but live off of the sympathy of others.  As he said this, Melanthios tried to kick
Odysseus in the hip, but the blow did not move him at all.  The swineherd prayed to Zeus and the nymphs that Melanthios would be punished for what he had said.  To this, Melanthios threatened to kidnap the swineherd one day and sell him as a slave, and added that he wished Telemachus was dead. With that, Melanthios left, heading for dinner at Odysseus's house.
    Soon, Odysseus and the swineherd had reached the palace.  The beggar said that surely this must be the house of Odysseus.  Eumaios answered that it was indeed the house of Odysseus, and then turned to the plan of entering the building.  As they approached the house, a hound that was sitting in front of the house saw them and lifted its head.  This hound was Argos, who Odysseus had trained before he went to war.  Now, he was lying in front of the hose, abandoned. Odysseus asked the swineherd about the dog, to which Eumaios replied that he was a very fast dog, and a good tracker too, but now he was just waiting for his master to return home.  The two walked on towards the house, but Argos died of happiness at seeing his master one last time.
    The swineherd entered the palace and Telemachus let him sit at one of the tables and eat bread and meat.  Quickly behind him, Odysseus entered his home once again and sat down at the doorway.  Telemachus saw him and gave Eumaios a piece of bread to give to Odysseus.  Odysseus thanked Telemachus for the bread, and then asked all of the suitors for something to eat.  They felt sorry for him, and gave him food, but also wondered who he was and whee he had come from.  The goatherd said that he had seen Eumaios bringing the beggar into town.  When Antioos heard this, he was mad at the swineherd for bringing another beggar into the city.  Eumaios said that he didn't care what Antinoos said, as long as his masters were alive.    Telemachus quieted him, and then praised Antinoos on being a father-like figure for him, and at the same time suggested that he liked to eat more than he did to share.
    When Odysseus had made his way around the table to Antinoos, he said that Anitnoos did not seem like a common man, but one descended from royalty.  Odysseus began telling his fabricated story again, but this time to the suitors, not just Eumaios.  When Odysseus had finished, Antinoos yelled at him to go away and stop living off of everyone else.  Odysseus said that his heart was not like his looks, and that he wouldn't even give to his own servants.  Antinoos was offended by this comment, and threw his footstool at Odysseus as he walked away.  The impact did not move Odysseus, but he simply remained quiet, planning his revenge.  Odysseus announced to the rest of the suitors that if there was a god of beggars, Antinoos will be dead before he can marry.  Antinoos ordered Odysseus to quietly eat, or to go somewhere else.
    When Penelope heard what the commotion that was going on in the hall, she cursed Antinoos's black heart for being so mean to a defensless beggar.  She sent one of her maids to bring Eumaios to her.  When he had come, Penelope asked him to bring the beggar to her so she could ask him if he had heard any word of Odysseus.  Eumaios went to Odysseus and asked him to come see Penelope, but he replied, saying that he was afraid of the suitors, and said that it would be best if Penelope waited until sunset to hear what he had to say.

The Odyssey - Chapter 16 Summary

    By this time the sun had risen and Odysseus and Eumaios were making breakfast in the hut.  While they were eating, Telemachus approached the hut and was soon standing on the porch looking into the hut.  The swineherd, dropped the cups he was holding in amazement, and went to greet his young master.   Eumaios was over joyed and brought him inside for him to meet the new stranger.  Telemachus entered and asked about his mother.  Eumaios said that she still refused to marry and spent her nights crying.  As Telemachus entered the house, Odysseus rose to give him a seat, but Telemachus declined it.  Instead, Eumaios made him a seat of green twigs and a blanket.  Everyone continued to eat, and when they had finished, Telemachus asked where the stranger had come from and how he got to Ithaca.  Eumaios gave Telemachus a brief story about Odysseus' fabricated past.  Eumaios said that Odysseus was asking for shelter so Telemachus could either take him to the palace, or leave him here with the swineherd.  Telemachus said that the beggar would stay with Eumaios and Telemachus would send a fresh set of clothes for the stranger.  Odysseus then said that it made him sad to see the suitors ruining the great Odysseus' home.  Odysseus offered to try to send off the suitors for Telemachus, or die in the process.  Telemachus turned down the offer and told Eumaios to go straight to Penelope to tell her of Telemachus's return.  The swine herd asked if he should also tell La, but Telemachus said no, tell no one of his return but his mother.
    The swineherd left, at which point Athena appeared at the edge of the woods surrounding the hut.   Odysseus saw her and walked out to meet her.  Athena said to him that this was the time to speak to his son and plan revenge against the suitors.  Athena turned Odysseus back into himself, and he went back into the cabin.  Telemachus was astounded and said that he must be a god to be able to change shapes like that.  Odysseus said that, no, he was not a god, but Telemachus's very own father.  However, Telemachus still didn't believe Odysseus.  He insisted that the man standing in front of him was only a mirage, sent to cause him more pain.  Again, Odysseus repeated his claim and said that Athena had helped him return to Ithaca after 20 years lost at sea.  Telemachus hugged his father, glad that he was finally home, until he asked his father how he came to Ithaca.  Odysseus said that the Phaiacians had brought him, though he slept through the entire voyage.  When he had woken up, he was on Ithaca's shore.  Odysseus then suggested that they talk about how to drive the suitor's from their house.  He asked Telemachus to list all of the men that are there.  Telemachus said that there were too many people for just the two of them to take on.  The suitors outnumbered Odysseus and Telemachus but a lot and that the suitors were not just from Ithaca, but also the surrounding countries.   Odysseus asked if Athena and Zeus would be good enough allies in this fight, or if they would need more help.  Telemachus agreed that this would be sufficient, and so the two turned to planning their strategy for the fight.
    Odysseus suggested that Telemachus go home and mingle with the suitors as usual.  Odysseus would come later, led by the swineherd and dressed as a beggar.  Odysseus said that Telemachus should prepare himself to see the suitors torment and tease Odysseus.  When Athena was about to reveal Odysseus in his true form, he would nod at Telemachus.  At this point, Telemachus should take away the swords and shields of the suitors and put them away in a room upstairs.  If someone asks why he had moved them, he should reply that the smoke from the fire is destroying the weapons.  Telemachus should leave two swords and two shields for Odysseus and himself for the fight.  Odysseus told Telemachus that he should make sure that no one else knows that he has come home;  not even Laerties or Penelope.
    While the two were talking the ship that brought Telemachus home from Pylos arrived in the harbor.  The servants carried all of the gear back to Odysseus's palace and a messenger was sent to notify Penelope of Telemachus's return.  On his way to Odysseus's house, the messenger met the swine herd.  The messenger relayed the message before the entire house, but the swine herd told Penelope all of the details.  The suitor's were very disappointed to hear the Telemachus had not ben killed in the ambush that they had planned.
    At this moment, the suitors saw another ship come into the harbor.  This is the ship carrying the suitors who had tried to kill Telemachus on his journey home.  All of the suitors went down to the shore to meet the ship.  Antinoos addressed the crowd saying that Telemachus must have had help from a god to be able to get home.  He suggested that this time they should plan to kill him in Ithaca and quickly before he summons a meeting.  Amphinomos said that he didn't want to kill Telemachus without first asking the gods.  If the oracles gave their consent, he agreed to kill Telemachus himself.  But if the gods forbid it, than Amphinomos said that he would rather just sail to his home.  Everyone agreed to this suggestion.  However, Penelope decided to have a say in the matter.  She came into the hall and spoke to all of the suitors.  She reprimanded for being so violent to the family of a very generous man, and she ordered the men to stop plaguing her family.  Antinoos assured Penelope that they would never do anything to harm Telemachus, but while he said this, he started to plan the boy's very death.
    That evening, the swineherd returned to the hut where Odysseus and Telemachus were staying.  Athena made Odysseus an old man again, but made him look different enough so that the swineherd would not recognize him.  Te asked Eumaios what the talk of the town was and if the suitors had returned from trying to kill him yet.  Eumaios answered that he hadn't stayed long enough to find out about the suitors and their endeavor, but as he was leaving, a ship came into the harbor full of men and weapons.  But, he didn't know if these were the suitor's.  After this conversation, they had dinner and went to bed.

The Odyssey - Book 14 Characters

Eumaios: the swineherd, takes care of Odysseus's pigs even while he is away
Mesaulios: a new "employee" of the swineherd

The Odyssey - Book 14 Summary

    Odysseus found the swineherd at his enclosure, which housed the sows and their young in one pen, and the small amount of boars in another.  Three dogs were guarding the pigs, and when they saw Odysseus, they ran at him barking.  Odysseus dropped to the ground and would have been attacked, if the swineherd had not saved him.  The swineherd then started talking to Odysseus (who was a beggar in disguise) and telling his about the master of the house who is gone, and of the suitors who eat Odysseus's pigs.  The swineherd, whose name was Eumaios, told Odysseus to go inside, where he would find something to eat and drink.  Odysseus thanked the man for the kind welcome and went inside.  Again, the swineherd bemoaned the loss of his master and then went to kill two young pigs for Odysseus to eat.
    Eumaios cut and cooked the meet and then gave it to Odysseus with a goblet of wine to drink.  While Odysseus was eating, Eumaios told who he thought was a beggar of his master's presumed death at Troy and of the men who invade his house and eat his  food.  When Odysseus had finished the meat, he asked the swineherd to describe his master and name him.  Odysseus told the swineherd that he had traveled far and he might have come across Eumaios's beloved master.  The swineherd said that many people had come to Ithaca, claiming to have heard word of Odysseus's return, only to lie about Odysseus and stay just for the food.  The swineherd said that his master, Odysseus, was dead, and that by now his bones lay on a shore, buried in sand.
    When Odysseus heard this, he swore to the swineherd that Odysseus would return before the month ended.  The swineherd still insisted that his master was dead, but asked the beggar (really Odysseus) to talk about something else.  Eumaios then asked Odysseus to tell his story. Odysseus obliged, and fabricated a tale to tell the swineherd.  Odysseus claimed that he was from Crete, son of Castor Hylacides, who used to be great in battle.  When the time for the Trojan War came around, the beggar said that he went, commanding a fleet for the Achaians.  After ten years of war, the Achaians finally set sail for home, only to be separated at sea.  Odysseus told the swineherd about fabricated adventures that the beggar had encountered while trying to make it home.  These included: accidentally going into battle near the river of Aigyptos, Praying for mercy to the king of the other side and getting away with his life, but leaving his men to die, being brought back to Phoinicia by an ill-intended man who planned to sell the beggar as a slave, being in a shipwreck and being lost at sea for 10 days, being entertained by the Thesprotians, meeting Odysseus at the palace of this kingdom, and then being put onto a boat where he was treated as a slave.  Odysseus said that while the ship he was on was at Ithaca, he jumped over board and swam to shore.  There he hid while the sailors looked around for him, but the beggar was not found.
    Eumaios was saddened by this long and sad tale, but still refused to believe that his master was alive.  At about this time, all of the other pigmen came with their pigs to put them away in the pens.  Eumaios ordered one of the men to kill one of the pigs so that they could have a meal to honor the beggar as their guest.  A fire was made, the pig was killed, sacrifices were made, the meat was cooked, and then everyone ate. After eating, they all drank wine, and the beggar recounted a war story that included Odysseus.  After everyone was full and they had all eaten, a bed was made for the beggar/Odysseus by the fire, and everyone went to sleep.

The Odyssey - Book 13 Summary

    When Odysseus finished his story, everyone was dumbfounded.  After a while, Alcinoos suggested that the Phaiacians get together gifts for Odysseus to take home.  Everyone agreed with this idea.  When the sun rose, Alcinoos himself packed the gifts onto the boat, and everyone prepared for a feast to say good-bye to Odysseus.  After everyone was finished eating, Odysseus thanked Alcinoos for his generosity, and then prayed to the Gods to bless the royal family with success and greatness.
    After the feast, Odysseus walked out to the shore where the boat to take him home was waiting.  The crew set up a bed on the deck of the ship so that Odysseus could sleep during the journey.  Odysseus fell asleep almost  immediately, and the boat left the harbor.
    The ship sailed quickly and smoothly to Ithaca before Odysseus even had the chance to wake up.  The ship crew ran the boat onto shore at the harbor of Phorcys, the Old Man of the Sea, which was in Ithaca.  Odysseus and his gifts were loaded onto the beach and the boat left, to return to Phaiacia.  Poseidon saw this and was infuriated   The Sea God went to Zeus, and asked him if he was going to do anything about Odysseus being let off of the hook so easily.  Zeus told Poseidon to do whatever he liked to the returning ship, as whatever made Poseidon happy made Zeus happy.  Poseidon decided to smash the ship on the spot and then raise mountains around the city, but Zeus suggested something better.  Zeus told Poseidon to wait in the harbor of Phaiacia and wait for the boat's return.  Once the boat was in the harbor, Zeus told Poseidon to turn the boat into stone in front of all of the citizens, to teach them a lesson.  After this was done, Poseidon could put mountains around the city.  Poseidon agreed and did just that.
    When Alcinoos saw the stone ship, he remembered a prophecy that said that one day Poseidon would be jealous that the Phaiacians gave free passage to everyone who came to their city, so Poseidon would destroy a ship and then raise mountains around the city.  Before the god could put mountains around the city as well, Alcinoos ordered for twelve of their bulls to be sacrificed to Poseidon and for no one to be offered safe convoy from that point on.  This was carried out, and Poseidon decoded not to put mountains around the city.
    Back in Ithaca. Odysseus woke up and din't know where he was.  Athena wanted to talk to Odysseus before he talked to anyone, so she had covered the area with a mist.  At first he thought that the ship had dropped him off in the wrong place and stole from him.  He looked over his loot and found that nothing was missing. Then, he saw Athena in the shape of a Sheppard, and approached her.  Odysseus asked Athena not to harm him, and asked where he was.  Athena said that the land was called Ithaca, which Odysseus was happy to hear.  Instead of revealing himself, Odysseus decided to lie, so as not to reveal his true identity.  Odysseus told Athena a fake story about his life, which made the goddess smile.  Athena then turned into herself, and congratulated Odysseus in his wit.  Athena explained that she was here to help him rid his house of the suitors and help him make a plan.
    First, Odysseus and Athena moved his treasures to a cave so that they were hidden.  After that was done, Athena told him about the men who were living in his house and helped Odysseus make a plan to get revenge.  Athena disguised Odysseus as an old man and told him to visit the faithful servant that raises Odysseus's pigs.  While Odysseus listened to the man talk, Athena said that she would help Telemachus get home safely.  With that said, the two went their separate ways.

The Odyssey - Book 12 Characters

Scylla: a monster that lives in a cliff that Odysseus must pass through on his journey hoem, each of her six heads grabs a person on every passing boat
Charybdis: another monster who lives at the base of a cliff opposite Scylla, she sucks in the water around her creating a whirlpool, and then spits it all back out, creating a geyser
Phaethusa and Lampetie: guardians of Helios's herds, Lampetie tells Helios when the crew kills his cattle

The Odyssey - Book 12 Summary

Odysseus's ship returned to Aiaia, where Circe met them with food to eat and wine to drink.  She took Odysseus aside while the others were eating and told him of the dangers to come.  First, she said, their ship wold pass the island of the Sirens, who bewitch everyone who passes with their music.  Circe told Odysseus to plug all of his men's ears with wax before they passed the island, so no one would hear it.  If Odysseus himself wanted to listen to the music, he should have his men tie him to the mast and take away his sword.
    Next, Odysseus would have a descision to make about which way to go.  One way would take him to the Moving Rocks that crush anything that comes between them.  The other path made Odysseus sail between two cliffs.  One the larger cliff, Scylla lived in a cave, waiting for shipd to pass so that she could reach each of her six heads down and grab six men from the boat.  At the base of the other cliff, Charybdis lived.  Three times a day, Circe said, she sucked in much of the surrounding water, and then spat it back out.  Cicre urged Odysseus to sail through the cliffs at the base of Scylla's cliff, where he would only lose six of his men and not the whole ship.
    Circe said that next Odysseus would come to the island where Helios kept his flocks of cattle and sheep, just like the prophet from the Underworld said.  Circe told Odysseus that if he didn't harm the cattle, then he would make it home, but he will have suffered a lot.  If he does harm the cattle, however, Odysseus ship and crew would be destroyed, but he might still make it home, but late and unhappy.
    The next morning, Odysseus and his men set sail.  Odysseus told them what Circe had said to him, and by the time he had finished, they were close to the Sirens's island.  He walked around the ship, giving every man some wax to plug his ears with and then he had the men tie him to the mast. As they passed the island, Odysseus heard the Sirens's song and longed to listen.  He ordered his men to untie him, but they just added more ropes.  When the ship passed the island, the  men untied Odysseus and unplugged their ears.
    Up ahead they could see the cliffs of Scylla and Charybdis.  The men were scared, but Odysseus told them that they were used to fear and that this isn't anything worse then when Odysseus was trapped in Polyphemus's cave.  Odysseus did not mention Scylla and what she did to passing boats, but instead told the helmsman to steer away from the smoke and sail at the base of the larger cliff.  As the men sailed below the cliff, Scylla reached her heads down and took Odysseus's six best men and ate them live and screaming for Odysseus to help them.
    Once they were past the cliffs, they came to Helios's island.  Odysseus told his men that he knew that they were tired, but they couldn't stop at this island.  At this, Eurylochos stood up and demanded that they stop here, as the entire crew was tired and hungry.  Odysseus gave in to his crew's requests, but made them swear on a solemn oath that they would not touch Helios's cattle.  The men agreed to only eat the food that Circe had given them, but after a month, that food ran out and the men were starving again.  One day, when Odysseus was out in the woods, when the gods made him fall into a deep sleep.  During this time, Eurylochos made another speech to the rest of the crew, saying that he would rather die at sea because of the gods then die on an unknown island because of hunger.  The rest of the crew agreed so they found a few of the cattle and killed and cooked them.  Odysseus the woke up and smelled cooking meat.  Helios found aou about the slaughter, and he prayed to Zeus to kill the men of Odysseus.  Zeus calmed Helios down  and told him that he would destroy Odysseus's ship with a lightning bolt.
    For six days the crew feasted on the cattle, and then on the seventh they set sail again.  When the island was far away, Zeus created a storm that struck Odysseus's ship and destroyed it.  Odysseus,the only man left alive, created a makeshift raft to keep him afloat as the storm pushed him back the way he had come.  When he reached the two cliffs again, his raft was on Charybdis's side.  As she sucked the water in, Odysseus jumped up and grabbed onto an olive tree that was on the side of the cliff.  He hung there until Charybdis spat his raft back out again.  He jumped back on his little boat and paddled away with his arms.  Odysseus drifted for nine days until the gods brought him to Calypso's island.
    At this point in telling his story, Odysseus stops because Alkinoos had already heard of his time with Calypso.  

The Odyssey - Book 11 Characters

Theban Teiresias: a prophet in the underworld that Circe send Odysseus to find
Anticleia: Odysseus's mother, died while he was at Troy
Heracles: a hero who completed twelve tasks for King Eurystheus, which included taking Hades's three-headed dog from the under world, and then returning it

The Odyssey - Book 11 Summary

    When Odysseus and his men reached the shore, they set sail.  After a long time they reached the river of Oceanos, which was the boundary of the world.  Odysseus made a pit in the ground and prepared the sacrifice just as Circe instructed him to do with honey, milk, wine, water, barley, and blood from a black ewe and a black ram.  When the sacrifice was finished, ghosts crowded around the pit, wanting to drink the sacrifice, but Odysseus wouldn't let them until the prophet Circe told him to find, ThebanTeiresias, came.  As Odysseus waited for the ghost, he saw other ghosts, like his mother, who had been alive when he left Ithaca, and one man of the crew.
    Then Odysseus saw the ghost of the prophet.  The prophet recognized Odysseus and asked him what he was doing at Hades's house and told him to back away from the offering so that he could drink it.  When Teiresias had finished drinking, he told Odysseus that God would make his journey home difficult because Poseidon was mad at him for blinding Polyphemus.  Despite this fact, Teiresias said that Odysseus would still make it home, but he will have suffered a lot before that time.  The prophet said that Odysseus and his men would find themselves on the island of Thrinacia, which is where Helios kept his cattle and sheep.  If Odysseus and his men did not touch Helios's herds, then they would all make it home safely.  If not, then Odysseus would still make it home, but his crew and ships would not.  Odysseus would then arrive home late in someone else's ship to find men in his house forcing his wife to marry one of them.  The prophet said that Odysseus would kill them all, however.  After doing that, Odysseus must sail until he finds a country where the people do not know the sea and do not add salt to their food.  When he gets there, Odysseus must make a sacrifice to Poseidon of a ram, a bull, and a boar-pig.  This would reconcile him with Poseidon.    Teiresias said that Odysseus would die at sea when age was his "only burden".  The prophet also told Odysseus that any ghost he let drink from the sacrifice would tell him the truth, but if he didn't, then they would go away.
    Odysseus let his mother's ghost drink from the sacrifice and she asked him what he was doing in the Land of the Dead.   Odysseus said that he was coming home from Troy and he got lost and was still trying to make his way home from Ithaca.  He asked his mother why she had died.  She replied that she was so sad that he was gone, that she had died of grief.  Odysseus's wife was still at home, but he days were filled with tears.  His father was still alive, but stays in the country.  When Odysseus heard this, he was very sad and wanted to hug his mother, but he couldn't because he was only talking to her spirit, not her body.
    During their conversation, a group of women had surrounded Odysseus and his mother, wanting to taste the sacrifice.  First Odysseus met Tryo, who gave birth to Pelias and Neleus, then Antiope, who's sons created the stronghold of Thebes.  Next came Alcemene, who was Heraclese's mother, then there was Epicaste, Chloris, Pero, Leda, Iphimedeia, Phaidra, Procris, Ariadne, Maira, Clymene, and Eriphyle.  Odysseus stopped his story, saying that he could not name all that he saw and that it was time for bed anyway.
    Arete and Alkinoos asked Odysseus to stay another day so that they could hear the rest of his story.  Odysseus agreed to stay another day and Alkinoos commended Odysseus for his wisdom and asked him if he had seen any of his comrades from Troy there.  Odysseus said that he saw Agamemnon who told his story of his travel home and his murder by Agisthos.  Agamemnon lamented his death and bemoaned his wife's turn of loyalty.  Agamemnon asked about his son, Orestes, and how he was.  Odysseus said that he did not know and told him that it is not good to babble.
     Odysseus saw Achilles.  Achilles asked how his his father his son were.  Odysseus replied that he hadn't heard anything of Achilles's father, but his son, Neoptolemos had fought with Odysseus, and that he was an excellent soldier and that he wasn't wounded at all when he came out of the wooden horse at Troy.  After Achilles heard this, he walked away, happy that his son had made a mark on the world.  After his talk with Achilles, Odysseus wanted to see the rest of the dead.  He saw in the Fields of Punishment Tytos, Tantalus, and Sisyphos.  In asphodel Odysseus saw Orion and Heracles.  After a while, Odysseus decided to go back to his ship because he was scared that Persephone might send a monster after Odysseus.

The Odyssey - Book 10 Characters

Aiolos Hippotades: the king of The Island of the Winds, tries to help Odysseus get home, but the crew's greed spoil it
Antiphates: the king of the Giants, tries to kill Odysseus and his men to eat them
Eurylochos: one of the men that Odysseus sends on the first expedition on Aiaia, he is the only one on that trip who is not turned into a pig
Circe: a sorceress that changes men into animals, hosted Odysseus and his men for a year before she told them to go to the Underworld to visit the house of Hades

The Odyssey - Book 10 Summary

    Next, Odysseus and his men came to the island of Aiolos Hippotades.  There the men spent a month, feasting with the king and his family.  When Odysseus finally decided to leave the king's company, he asked for help.  The king killed an ox and made it into a bag.  In this bag he stored winds that would push Odyseus's ship back towards Ithaca.
    The men set off, with Odysseus sailing so that they could get home as soon as possible.  After ten days of sailing, they could finally see Ithaca again.  That night, Odysseus fell asleep while steering, as he had not slept since they left Hippotades.  His men started wondering what was in the bag that Odysseus had been given.  They decided to take a look and see, and if it was gold to take some.  When the men opened the bag, the wind that came out pushed them all the way back to King Hippotades's house.  Odysseus approached the king, and apologized and asked for more help.  The king was outraged that Odysseus and his men would dishonor the gods like this.
    So, Odysseus and his men sailed on, lost again.  After seven days of sailing, they reached a place where night and day came and went quickly.  The ships entered a harbor, and Odysseus sent two men ahead to see who the natives of the land were.  When they entered the castle of the rulers, they found the queen, who summoned her husband from a town meeting.  They were both giants, and grabbed the men to eat for supper.  Two got away, but the other was not as fortunate.  The men ran back to the ships under fire of rocks thrown by the giants.  Odysseus loaded as many people as he could on his ship and sailed away, leaving some of the others.
    The next island the one remaining ship reached was Aiaia, where Circe lived.  Odysseus pulled his boat into the harbor, and the men sat there lamenting the loss of their companions for two days.  On the third day, Odysseus decided to go hunting in the woods.  There, he managed to bring down a stag which he carried back to the ship.  This lightened to the mood of the men and they all gathered to eat the animal.  After they had finished eating, Odysseus split the remaining men into two groups.  One, captained by Eurylochos was sent to explore if anyone lived on the island.
    Eurylochos's group set off and soon found the house of Circe in a dell.  Around her house were wolves and lions that approached the men, but did not harm them.  These animals happened to be men that Circe had lured into her home and bewitched them into forgetting their homes and turned them into animals.  Odysseus's men heard the sound of Circe singing as she worked at her loom, and were entranced.  All of them except Eurylochos decided to go and see who the singer was.  They were welcomed in by Circe who offered them something to drink.  Eurylochos hing back outside and watched, sensing a trap.  Circe put drugs into the drinks of the men that made them forget their home.  When they had, she taped each one woth her wand, turning them into pigs.
    Eurylochos, seeing this, ran back to the ships to tell Odysseus.  Eurylochos recounted the entire tale to Odysseus, who decided to go find Circe for himself.  Before Odysseus entered the dell, Hermes appeared to Odysseus, warning him of his fate if he were to go any farther.  Odysseus insisted that he must push on, so Hermes gave him a charm to protect him and told him how to avoid Circe's punishments.  The charm would protect Odysseus from the drugs and Circe's magic.  To make Circe afraid of him, he must rush at her with his sword as if he were going to kill her.  At this, Hermes said she would ask Odysseus to sleep with her, but must make her promise first that she would never try to do any harm to him.  This being said, Hermes left Odysseus on his own.
    Circe welcomed Odysseus into her house, and offered him the usual drugged drink.  After tapping him with her wand, Odysseus did what Hermes sid and rushed at her with his sword.  At this, Circe fell to her knees and said that he must be Odysseus if he could withstand her magic.  She asked him then to put his sword away and sleep with her instead.  Odysseus remembered what Hermes had said, and made Circe promise not to do Odysseus any harm first.
    When Odysseus still didn't eat, she asked him why, as she had promised not to hurt Odysseus.  Odysseus said that he had no apatite for food when his friends were prisoners.  Circe opened the pen where Odysseus's former men were, and turned them back into men, but younger then they were before.  Circe then told Odysseus to bring up the rest of his men from the shore and let them stay in her house.
    When Odysseus reached his ship again, his men were overjoyed at seeing him again.  When Odysseus told them that they were going to stay with Circe, they were wary, but eventually agreed.  When they reached Circe's house again, she gave them all baths and gave them food.  Odysseus stayed on Circe's island for a year, when at last one of Odysseus's men reminded them that they still had a home in Ithaca they needed to go to.  That night, Odysseus asked Circe to help him get home. She agreed and told first he must go to Hades's house first.  This made Odysseus sad and he sobbed on the floor, but when recovered, Circe told him how to get there.
    The next morning, Odysseus awakened his men and told them the plan of going to the house of Hades.  The crew was also depressed with the news of the extra voyage, but Odysseus told them it must be done.  They gathered their things, and then headed toward their ship to sail away.

The Odysseys - Book 9 Characters

Ciconians: people in a village that Odysseus went to, they drove him out after killing all the men in one part of the town
The Lotus-Eaters: a group of people who ate lotuses that made you happy and forget about all your old priorities - in Odysseus's men's case going home to Ithaca
Polyphemus: son of Poseidon, cyclops who lives on a flat island, traps Odysseus and intends to eat him (Cyclopians also referred to as "the Goggle-eyes")

The Odyssey - Book 9 Summary

    At the end of the last book, Odysseus was asked to tell his story about where he came from.  Up to this point in the book, Odysseus had not revealed his actual name to King Alcinoos.  Odysseus starts by telling the men there that he was Odysseus from Ithaca who fought at Troy.  Odysseus starts his story when he left Troy and landed on the island of Ciconians.  After they were driven out by a neighboring town, they sailed for nine days, lost, til they landed on the land of the lotus-eaters.  Odysseus sent two men and a speaker to talk to find out who the natives were.  Soon, they came across one of the lotus-eaters, who offered Odysseus's men a lotus.  As soon as the men tasted the lotus, they forgot all about their journey home to Ithaca.  Odysseus found then and brought them back to the ship .  He ordered the rest of the crew on the ship so that they wouldn't taste the lotus.  Odysseus quickly left the island and continued sailing.
    Their next stop was the island of the Cyclopes.  Odysseus  landed his ships in a cyclops-free harbor.  Here the men killed some of the sheep there to eat.  The next morning, Odysseus decided to take one of the ships in his fleet around the island to find some of the cyclopes to try to talk to them.  Odysseus set off and soon found another harbor and the cave of a cyclops.  Odysseus walked up to the cave looked inside.  The cyclops wasn't there, so Odysseus and his men made a fire and ate some of his cheese.  Soon the Cyclops came back to his cave and herded his sheep in.  When the cyclops saw Odysseus, he asked Odysseus who he was and where he came from.  Odysseus answered that they were Achaians coming home from Troy.  Odysseus asked the cyclops to welcome like a stranger, which Polyphemus laughed at.  Polyphemus rolled a giant stone in front of the entrance so that no one besides him could get in or out.  Then, he grabbed two of Odysseus's men and ate them.  The next morning, Polyphemus ate two more men and then herded his sheep outside.  As he left, Polyphemus rolled the stone back in front of the entrance.
    While he was gone, Odysseus devised a plan.  He took part of a giant log that Polyphemus was planning to us as a staff and sharpened the end of it to a point and hid it among the manure on the floor.  When Polyphemus came home again that night, he herded his sheep in and rolled the stone back.  The cyclops ate two more men.  When he was finished, Odysseus offered him a cup of the wine he had brought with him as provisions.  The wine was so good that Polyphemus asked for two more glasses.  When he was drunk, the cyclops asked Odysseus what his name was, to which Odysseus replied that his name was Noman.  Then, the Cyclops fell asleep.  While he was sleeping, Odysseus took his log out of the manure and stuck the end in the fire.  After the tip started to catch on fire, the men brought the log over to Polyphemus and stuck it in his eye, rendering him blind.  Polyphemus woke up with a start and pulled the wood from his eye, roaring in pain.  Hearing his cries, other cyclopes came and asked Polyphemus what he was yelling about and if someone had hurt him, to which he replied that Noman had hurt him.  Hearing that nobody had harmed Polyphemus, the other cyclopes went away.
    The next morning, Odysseus and his remaining men hid under the cyclops's sheep as he herded them outside and made it out of the cave undetected.  The men made it to their boat in the harbor, and were sailing away when Odysseus turned around and teased Polyphemus.  Polyphemus picked up a giant rock and hurled it at Odysseus's general direction.  The rock landed ahead of the ship and the resulting wave pushed the boat back to shore.  The men started to sail away again, and Odysseus again felt the need to shout.  He called out to Polyphemus saying that if anyone ever asked who blinded him, tell them that Odysseus of Ithaca did it.  At this, Polyphemus prayed to his father, Poseidon, to kill Odysseus on his voyage home, and if he doesn't die, to make his journey long, hard, and painful.
    Odysseus sailed back to the original harbor where he had landed his ships and rejoined with the rest of his fleet.

The Odyssey - Book 8 Characters

Laodamas: son of Alcinoos
Demodocos: a blind minstrel who sang of the Battle of Troy
Broadsea: a citizen of Phaiacia who offends Odysseus

The Odyssey - Book 8 Summary

    The next morning, Alcinoos rose Odysseus and led him to the Parliament Square.  Athena, in the shape of the king's herald, went around the city telling the people to come to the parliament to hear about the stranger that showed up at the palace the previous day.  Soon the whole square was full of people.  Alcinoos introduced Odysseus to the crowd and said Odysseus had asked him to help Odysseus to get back to Ithaca.  Alcinoos asked the crowd for 52 oarsmen and for them to prepare a boat and when they had finished that, to come back to the palace.  Alcinoos then ordered for the minstrel Demodocos to be brought to his house.  

    When everyone was back at the palace, they feasted.  After the meal, they listened to the minstrel sing the stories of famous men. The first song they listened to was the Choral of Odysseus and Achilles.  When Odysseus heard this he pulled his robe over his head and he cried.  No one noticed his crying except Alcinoos.  After a while, Alcinoos stopped the minstrel from sing and suggested they play outdoor activities.  Everyone rose and went outside to the grounds.  Odysseus watched as men competed in activities such as footraces, wrestling, jumping, discus, and boxing.  After they had finished, the king's son, Laodamas, suggested that they invite Odysseus into the competitions. Laodamas walked up to Odysseus and offered for him to join.  Oddysseus said that Laodamas was making fun of him as Odysseus's mind was more set on getting home than on playing games.  At this, Broadsea, said that Odysseus did not really look like the athletic type anyways.  This made Odysseus mad, and he said that if a man's words are beautiful than his face is not, and if his face was beautiful, then his words were not.  He named Broadsea as one of those people with not a lot going on in the attic.  When he had finished, Odysseus stood up and took the heaviest weight and threw it farther than anyone else had thrown any other stone.  After the disagreements were settled, Alcinoos called for Demodocos to be brought outside so that the group could dance.  This time, Demodocos sung of the time when Aphrodite cheated on Hephaestus with Ares.  Odysseus was delighted with the story and by the impressive dancing.  

    When one of the princes overheard this, he gathered his brothers and suggested that put together a gift of gold and clothing for Odysseus.  At this point, the group heads inside for another feast.  All of the gifts for Odysseus are gathered into a coffer and brought to him, where he locked the lid himself.  While they were feasting, Odysseus asked Demodocos to sing the story of the Wooden Horse in the Battle of Troy.  At the sound of the story, Odysseus started to cry again.  Alcinoos once again told Demdocos to stop singing, and asked Odysseus what his name was, where he was from, and why he cries when hearing this story.  

The Odyssey - Book 7 Characters

King Alcinoos: King of Phaiacia, offersOdysseus a boat to sail home in
Nausithoos: father of Alcinoos, son of Poseidon
Arete: Queen Phaiacia, neice of Alcinoos

The Odyssey - Book 7

    Odysseus waited in the garden until it was almost time for dinner, when he headed into town.  When he came across a girl holding a pitcher (who was really Athena), he asked her to take him to the castle of the King.  She agreed, but told Odysseus not to talk to anyone on the way because the people in this country did not like strangers.  Athena led Odysseus to the palace and on the way covered him with a thick mist so no one could see him.  Soon they reached the castle and Athena told Odysseus to look for Queen Arete.  If she liked Odysseus, then he would be given a ship and crew to sail home with.  Odysseus walked inside, found Arete, threw his arms around her knees, and begged for her and her husband to help him.   King Alcinoos held out his hand to Odysseus and led him to seat of honor and welcomed him to their banquet.  After everyone had eaten, Alcinoos announced that the next morning he would call a meeting together of all of the men in the town to think about how to send Odysseus off.  They finished their glasses, and then headed off to bed.
    Before Odysseus was offered a bed, Arete had a question for him.  As soon as she saw him, she recognized the clothes he was wearing and ones that she had made herself.  Arete asked him who had given him the clothes if he was drifting out at sea, like he said he was.  Odysseus recounted the story of Calypso and being trapped on her island, and then his journey to the palace.  After his story was told, Alcinoos guaranteed Odysseus an escort home, saying that his ships could take him where ever he wanted to with no trouble at all.  Odysseus thanked Alcinoos and prayed to Zeus and asked him to spread the fame of Alcinoos over the entire earth.  Arete then told her servants to make a bed for Odysseus.  After this was done, everyone went to sleep.

The Odyssey - Book 5 Characters

Hermes: the messenger god, is sent to Calypso from Zeus to tell her that she needs to let Odysseus go
Calypso: the nymph that captured Odysseus on her island, Odysseus sets sail from there in this book
Ino: Cadmus's daughter, once human but now lives in the sea, helped Odysseus get to land during Poseidon's storm

The Odyssey - Book 5 Summary

    Book Five opens on Athena asking her father, Zeus, to help free Odysseus and save Telemachus from the suitors.  Zeus said he would,  and said that Odysseus would sail on a raft for twenty days, and on the twentieth, he would reach Scheria, where he would be given a good ship and crew to sail home with.  Zeus then sent Hermes down to Calypso to tell her the gods' decree. Hermes put on his winged shoes, and flew down to Calypso's island.  There, Hermes was in awe of the lush forest and the beauty of the island.  Once he had his fill of the landscape, he went to find Calypso.  When Hermes found her, she sat him down and gave him a meal of ambrosia and wine.  Calypso asked Hermes why he visited her, to which he answered that Zeus made him come to tell Calypso that she must free Odysseus.  Calypso was mad and said that just because she slept with a mortal, the gods are punishing her.  However, because it was Zeus's command, she agreed to let Odysseus go home, but she could not provide him with a ship or crew.  Before Hermes left, he advised Calypso not to make Zeus angry, and to steer clear of his wrath.
    After this conversation, Calypso found Odysseus and told him the news.  She gave him tools to use to cut down trees to create a raft to sail in.  When Odysseus first heard the news, he did not believe it.  He said that Calypso must make a binding oath that she was not trying to trick him.  Calypso laughed and swore, with Earth as her witness, on the skies above and the River Styx below that she was not trying to trap Odysseus. After this, the two headed inside to eat.  When finished, Calypso asked Odysseus why he was so eager to reach his home if his wife was no match for herself.  Odysseus agreed that Calypso was more beautiful than Penelope, but he longed to go home.
    The next morning, Calypso led Odysseus to the place where he could chop down trees for his raft.  In four days, Odysseus had finished his boat.  Calypso gave him a skin full of wine, and another of water, a new set of clothes, and a sack of rations.  Odysseus sailed for seventeen days, but on the eighteenth, Poseidon returned from his trip to Ethiopia   When he saw Odysseus sailing, he was outraged.  Poseidon decided to give Odysseus more than his fair share of trouble.  Poseidon created a storm that made it look like it was nighttime during the day.  Odysseus was certain of his death when he saw the storm and wished he had died at Troy with his comrades instead of this.  The storm destroyed Odysseus's boat and sent him over-board.  The clothing that Calypso had given him weighed him down, but he was able to keep afloat enough so as not to die.  Then, Ino saw him and pitied him.  She rose to the surface of the waves and offered help to Odysseus.  She told him to get rid of the clothes and tie her scarf around his waist.  After this was done he should leave the wreck and swim towards shore.  Odysseus did not trust her, so he made a deal with himself.  He would continue to hold on to the boat until it is smashed to pieces, and then he will swim to shore.
   When Odysseus started swimming for shore, Poseidon started laughing at his efforts.  Athena replied by calming all of the winds and stopping the storm.  Odysseus swam for two days, until he could finally see the shore, about which he was overjoyed.  Odysseus's happiness was short lived, however, because he found out he would have to cross over jagged reefs to get to shore.  Odysseus was at a loss of what to do.  Again he thought he was surely dead, and would have been if not for Athena inspiring him.   As a big wave pushed him towards the rocky coast, he reached for a reef and clung onto it with all his life.  He was then sucked back out to sea by the undertow.  Underneath the wave, Odysseus searched for a place that he could find safety, and found it in the form of a river outlet.
    As he entered the river, Odysseus prayed to the river's god to have mercy on him and not to drown him in the current.  The god obliged and stemmed the current while Odysseus climbed from the water.  He lay down on the ground for a while, regaining his strength, and then he untied the scarf from his waist and threw it back into the water where Ino caught it.  Odysseus turned towards the woods so that he could find a sheltered place where he could rest.  Odysseus found two olive trees growing out of the same roots that would protect him from wild animals and the elements.  Here, Odysseus lay down on a pile of leaves and finally fell to sleep.

The Odyssey - Book 4 Characters

Helen of Argos: Menelaus's wife
Eidothea: Goddess, daughter of Proteus, helped Menelaus get home
Proteus: "Old Man of the Sea", servant of Poseidon, a prophet who always tells the truth
Antinous: the ringleader suitor, came up with the plan to kill Telemachus
Noemon: a man who lend Telemachus his ship and crew
Iphthime: Penelope's sister, a ghost of her created by Athena visits Penelope in a dream

The Odyssey - Book 4 Summary

    The next morning, one of Nestor's sons and Telemachus arrive in Sparta.  The king of Sparta, Menelaus, was hosting a double wedding and enjoying a feast in the palace.  Telemachus and Nestor's son waited outside the gates until Menelaus invited then into the palace to share in the feast.  They were seated at a table where bread and appetizers were served.  The King welcomed them and told them to help themselves and would ask them later who they were and where were they from.
    Once they finished eating, Menelaus described how he had collected all the riches and goods inside his palace.  But while he was roaming the lands, a stranger had killed his brother, Agamemnon, so he had attained all this wealth but did not enjoy it.  As much as he grieves for the lost of his brother and soldiers, he grieves, as well, for Odysseus.  According to Menelaus, Odysseus had labored and achieved so much but it ended in suffering.  At the sound of his father's name, Telemachus started crying and Menelaus at once recognized him as the son of Odysseus.  After this, Menelaus's wife, Helen, appeared from her bedroom with a spindle and a basket of yarn for weaving.  She asked her husband who the guests were and said surely one of them was the son of Odysseus.  Menelaus agreed and said they did look similar.  Nestor's son, Pisistratus said he indeed was the son of Odysseus and he had traveled here to hear news of his father's return home, but was too modest to ask.  Menelaus was overjoyed to hear that the son of his dearest friend was in his house.  Menelaus shared some memories of Odysseus and it made the whole group start to cry.  To stop the sadness, Menelaus suggested they eat dinner.  Helen decided to drug the wine with "heart's-ease" to prevent lighten the mood and stop everyone's tears.  Helen and Menelaus shared stories about Odysseus until Telemachus suggested they go to bed.
    The next morning, after everyone woke up, Menelaus asked Telemachus why he traveled so far to get to Sparta, to which Telemachus responded that he was searching for news of his father.  Menelaus then told Telemachus the story of his own journey home.  Menelaus had been marooned on an island off of Egypt and was eager to go home.  Menelaus and his crew were stuck on an island for twenty days, when their food rations ran out.  The crew would be stuck there still if Eidothea had not felt sympathy for Menelaus.
    She appeared to him, and he asked what he could do to get home and which of the gods he made angry.  The goddess said that the Proteus, the prophet who could not lie, would be able to answer his questions if Menelaus was able to capture him.  In order to capture the Old Man of the Sea, Menelaus would have to wait until he came onto land and then ambush him.  The next day, Menelaus chose three of his most capable of his crew members, and they headed toward the beach and hid under seal skins that Eidothea had lent him.  When the old man emerged from the waves, Menelaus pinned him to the ground.  The Proteus tried to shape shift to get away but Menelaus held him down.  When the old man finally gave up, he asked why Menelaus had trapped him.  Menelaus in turn asked him why he had not been able to sail home.  The old man replied that  he should have sacrificed and then set sail, as opposed to sailing, and then sacrificing.  The Old Man of the Sea urged Menelaus to go back to Egypt and offer a sacrifice to Zeus and then sail home.  After this, Menelaus asked the Proteus if any if the other Achaeans had reached their homes unarmed.  The Old Man answered that many of them died including Menelaus's brother, and that one of them was still alive and, but was being held captive somewhere. This news crushed Menelaus and he wept, but after he had cried all his tears, the Proteus told Menelaus to stop get strive to get home, and if he hurries, he might be able to avenge his brother's death.  After Menelaus's old pride returned, he asked Proteus who the third man, who was alive but a captive was, and the answer was Odysseus, who was trapped on Calypso's island, weeping to go home.  After Menelaus had asked all of his questions, Proteus dove back into the ocean and swam away.
   After this story was told, Menelaus asked Telemachus to stay with him for a week or two, at which time Menelaus would give Telemachus a "princely send-off".  Telemachus asked Menelaus not to keep him so long, but instead for a few days, because his crew was waiting for him in Pylos.  At the end of this discussion  preparations were being made for that night's feast.
    Meanwhile, in Odysseus's palace, the suitors were entertaining themselves by throwing spears, while Antinous sat apart watching.  The man who lent Telemachus his boat, Noemon, approached Antinous and asked if he knew when Telemachus would be back, as Noemon needed to use his boat.  Antinous was astonished, as he had thought that Telemachus was still on the island, hiding somewhere.  With this information, Antinous headed back to Odysseus's house and brought all of the suitors together to have a meeting.  Antinous suggested that they get a boat together and ambush Telemachus on his way home from his journey.  The suitors roared their approval at this suggestion, and after this they went to bed.
   Penelope, however, soon found out of the plan to kill her son.  When she was told that her son had sailed off without telling her, and is now being plotted against, she collapsed and was speechless.  The servant who told her the plans told Penelope that either by god or his own impulses, Telemachus left for Pylos to hear about his father's return.  The queen began to cry, heartbroken.  She asked Zeus why first she had to lose her brave husband, and now her only son.  Then, the nurse who Telemachus had sworn to secrecy, confessed, saying Telemachus didn't want her to find out so that she wouldn't cry for him.  This cured Penelope's grief, so she bathed and then prayed to Athena, asking her to save her son.  In the main hall, the suitors put their plan into action by acquiring a ship and then set sail.  In her bedroom, Penelope lay brooding and her mind wheeling, when she finally fell asleep.  Athena then had an idea.  She created a ghost in the form of Penelope's sister to talk to Penelope in her sleep.  In the queen's dream, her sister inspires her with courage, saying that her son's escort to these foreign lands is none other than Athena.  The queen asked about Odysseus, if he was alive, or dead.  To this, the ghost replied that she could not tell the whole story.  After this discussion, the ghost left, and Penelope was comforted.

The Odyssey - Book 3 Characters

Neleus: Nestor's father, previous ruler of Pylos
Nestor: current ruler of Pylos, fought at the Trojan war with Odysseus
Pisistratus: one of Nestor's sons, accompanies Telemachus to Sparta
Orestes: son of Agamemnon, killer of Aegisthus
Menelaus: king of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, friend of Odysseus
Aegisthus: stole Agamemnon's wife while he was at war, and then killed Agamemnon when he returned home.

The Odyssey - Book 3 Summary

    As the sun rose, Telemachus's ship arrived at Pylos, where the people sat on the beaches and sacrificed bulls to Poseidon.  They docked the ship and then got off the ship, with Telemachus last.  Athena urged Telemachus to be brave, and reminded him of their purpose there.  Telemachus was nervous about finding the right words to say, but Athena reassured him that he would find half of the words within himself, and the rest he would be inspired to say.  Athena, in the shape of Mentor, then led Telemachus to the meeting place of the Pylians.  Nestor, the king sat there, surrounded  by his friends, family, and the food of the banquet.
    As soon as Nestor saw the strangers, he welcomed them to eat, and urged them to sit down.  Nestor then passed things to Telemachus and Athena to be offered to the gods as a sacrifice.  Nestor then asked Athena to say a prayer to Poseidon, and then pass the cup with the offerings in it to Telemachus, so he could thank the gods as well.  Athena prayed to Poseidon, asking for glory to Nestor, his sons, and his people, and to get Athena and Telemachus safely home.  Telemachus then repeated her prayer.
    After the sacrifices here made, the crowd started feasting, and Nestor asked Athena and Telemachus who they were and where they were from.  Telemachus answered saying that he was Odysseus's son, and that he was on a mission to gain news about his father's return home.  Nestor replied saying that Telemachus's request brought back awful memories of the time during the Trojan War.  Many men died, such as Ajax, Achilles, Patroclus, and Nestor's son, as well.  For nine years, Nestor and his allies fought against the Trojans, with Odysseus excelling at strategy.  At the end of the war, there was a fight about how to go home.    Agamemnon wanted to stay there, to apease Athena's wrath, but Menelaus and Nestor wanted to go home right away.  At dawn, half of the leaders sailed away with their troops, while the others stayed behind.  However, Zeus did not intend for them to return quickly, as there was soon a huge storm.  Odysseus and a few others turned their ships around and sailed back, but Nestor continued forward.  The remaining men asked for a sign, and a path home was shown to them.  Finally Nestor made it home, but he had no idea what had happened to the others.
    After this, Telemachus then goes on to talk about the suitors that infest his house.  Nestor asks Telemachus why he puts up with e suitors, and that if Odysseus ever came home, he would take revenge.  If only, said Nestor, the Athena would care for Telemachus like she cared for Odysseus.  Then, all of the suitors would leave forever.  Telemachus said that this would never happen (that Odysseus would come home and the suitors would leave), but Athena cut in and said that it is easy for a god to save a mortal and that she would rather take years coming home, rather than speed home, and then be killed there.  Telemachus then suggested that they didn't speak of Odysseus anymore, but instead asked Nestor how Agamemnon died.
   Nestor agreed to tell the story.  While Agamemnon was at war, Aegisthus was at home, and started trying to talk and get closer to Agamemnon's wife Clytemnestra.  At first the queen pushed Aegisthus away, but soon, Aegisthus took Clytemnestra to his own castle, and she began cheating on her husband.  Aegisthus ruled for seven years, but on the eigth year, Agamemnon's son, Orestes, killed Aegisthus.  After this story, Nestor warned Telemachus not to go away from home for too long, but suggested that he still see Menelaus to ask him about Odysseus.  Nestor offered the use of some of his chariots to make the trip to Sparta by land.  Athena then suggested that they head to bed to prepare for their journey tomorrow.  Nestor offered a bed to Telemachus and Mentor (Athena in disguise), but Athena declined.  She said that she would stay with the crew and give them orders because she was the only veteran and Telemachus could sleep in Nestor's palace.  After that discussion, Athena turned into an eagle and flew away.
    King Nestor was amazed and said to Telemachus that he should never be afraid because at this age the gods already guard him.  To Athena he asked for good fortune and in return he would sacrifice a cow to Athena.  They all went inside the palace and Nestor prepared the sacrifice.  Nestor gave Telemachus a bed and they all went to sleep.
    The next morning the cow was brought into the hall and gold was poured onto its horns.  Athena came as well to watch this sacrifice be performed.  One of Nestor's sons stood ready with an axe while another son held a bowl for the blood.  Nestor began to pray and when he was finished, his son chopped the cow's head off.  They collected certain parts of the cow and burned them as sacrifice to Athena.  After that they cooked and ate the rest of the meat of the cow.  Nestor then put together a chariot and a team for Telemachus so he could go to Sparta the next day.

The Odyssey - Book 2 Characters

Aegyptius: an old lord, one son sailed with Odysseus, he starts the assembly
Antinous: one of the suitors, he describes the tricks that Penelope used to deceive the suitors
Halitherses: an old warrior who interprets the sign of the eagle fighting
Eurymachus: another suitor who says that the suitors will stay until the queen chooses someone to marry
Mentor: an old friend of Odysseus, he was supposed to look after Odysseus's rule and house while he was gone
Leocritus: yet another suitor who breaks up the assembly and scoffs at Halitherses's and Menotr's support of Telemachus
The "old nurse": the nurse that raised Telemachus and urges him not to go on the journey

The Odyssey - Book 2 Summary

    When the morning came, Telemachus rose and got dressed.  He then went to call an assembly of the men in Ithaca.  Aegyptus started off the assembly, saying that a meeting had not been called, so it must have been a big crisis that drove someone to bring everyone together.  Telemachus steps forward, saying that he called the meeting because he has heard first-hand that his father is alive and not for off.  Also, two things have been bothering Telemachus.  First, Telemachus believed that his father had died on his return from the Trojan War, and now suitors won't leave Penelope alone.  The suitors are so cowardly that they would rather die than ask Penelope's father for her hand in marriage, so they hang around Odysseus's house, eating all of his good food and drinking all of his wine.  Telemachus said that the suitors should be ashamed of themselves and that they should fear the gods' wrath.  Telemachus begs the suitors to leave him alone to mourn his father, unless they think that Odysseus wronged his country wrong, and in return are setting the suitors on Telemachus to get revenge.  Telemachus was so angry, that he started crying, which brought the pity of most in the assembly.  

    Everyone was silent, as no one had the heart to say anything, except for Antinous.  Antinous claimed that the suitors were not to blame for Telemachus's grief at all, but his own mother, because she has led all of them on.  One example of her trickery was when she said three years ago that she would choose a man to marry after she finished weaving a funeral shroud for her father.  Every day she would work on the shroud, and then she would come back at night and unwind all of her work.  Finally, one of Penelope's woman told the suitors of her secret.  The suitors then made Penelope finish the shroud for her father.  Antinous turned to Telemachus and said that the suitors will stay at the palace and eat Odysseus's food and slaughter his livestock until Penelope chooses someone to marry.  

    Telemachus replied to Antinous, saying that it is cruel to suggest that he drive his own mother from their house against her will.  The price that Telemachus would have to pay from his father if he return's alive and Penelope's father would be tremendous.  He declared that he would never make his mother leave her house if she did not want to.  To the suitors, Telemachus said that they must leave his house, but if they enjoy feeding off of others and then, by all means do it, but not before Telemachus calls out to the gods to revenge him.  

    At this point in the conversation  Zeus sent two eagles flying down from a mountain to back up what Telemachus had said.  The eagles flew wing to wing until they were overhead the assembly.  When they were, they stopped and started to destroy each other, tearing at the other's throat and cheeks.  After a few moments, they flew away towards the houses of the town.  Everyone watched the eagles disappear quietly, thinking about what might happen in the future.  

    Suddenly, an old warrior named Halithersis broke the silence and said that a great disaster was headed towards all of the suitors and that things were working in Odysseus's favor now.  Halithersis recalls a prophecy that he made the day that Odysseus and his men departed for Troy.  The prophecy said that "the mastermind of the battle" would lose all of his shipmates and after twenty years would finally return home.  

   Another man, Eurymachus, shot down Halithersis's predictions saying that the prophecy is bogus and meaningless.  He said that Odysseus is dead in some foreign land, and that by saying his prophecy he has made Telemachus angrier and that Halithersis is only hoping for a gift of gratitude from Telemachus.  Eurymachus then puts out his own prophecy.  If Halithersis talks Telemachus into rioting, then Telemachus will be the first to feel the pain with Halithersis not far behind.  To Telemachus, Eurymachus suggests that he send his mother to her father's house, where a marriage will be arranged.  He says that the suitors have nothing to fear from Telemachus's empty threats and an old fool's prophecy.  

    Despite all of this, however, Telemachus remains firm in his decree that the suitors should leave the house by morning.  Telemachus brings up his next point of duty, being that he wants a fast ship and a crew of twenty men so that he can set off to Sparta and Pylos to catch word of his father's return.  After this, Mentor took the floor and warned that they should never let a king be kind and gentle, but they should let him be cruel and allow him to practice courage.  Mentor said that he did not blame the suitors, but the other people in the town who sit back and watch, doing nothing to stop the savage men.  

Leocritis turned to him and shouted that turning the townspeople against the suitors was uphill work.  He also said that even if Odysseus did return and get rid of the suitors, Penelope would not be happy about it.  Leocritis then disbanded the assembly, saying that Odysseus's doddering friends could supply Telemachus with a boat so that he could go on a journey that he would never survive.  

    After the assembly, Telemachus walked to the beach and prated to Athena to help him.  Athena appeared, in the form of Mentor and said to him that he would never lack sense or courage from that point on because his father's spirit is in his blood.  Athena said that so rarely are sons equal to their fathers, and even rarer still is when a son surpasses their father.  Athena told Telemachus to put the words of the suitor out of his mind, as they are madmen and can't see the doom that hangs above them.  Athena told Telemachus to go home and prepare the rations for his journey, while she went to go procure a ship and crew.  

    At home, Telemachus found the suitors eating his goats and pigs, and drinking his wine.  Antinous approached Telemachus and offered for Telemachus to come join him and the suitors while they ate.  Telemachus refused, saying that he couldn't eat in peace and be happy at the same time.  As Telemachus headed away, the taunts of the other suitors followed him.  Ignoring them, Telemachus headed down to the storeroom where the food was kept, and ordered for rations of wine, barley, and oil be packed and placed by the door.  When Telemachus's nurse (the person who he had asked to pack the food) heard of his plans, she begged him not to go.  She said that while he was gone, the suitors would plan to kill Telemachus and split up his inheritance.  Telemachus reassured her that the plan was made by a god, not himself.  He also tells the nurse not to tell his mother for at least a few weeks so that she won't worry about him.  

   Athena gathered the crew and told them to meet at a ship, which she had procured and to wait for Telemachus's arrival.  Then, the goddess stopped by Odysseus's house, where she made the suitors drunk and sleepy so that they quickly went off to bed.  Athena, in the form of Mentor, then led Telemachus to the ship where his crew waited.  As the boat sailed away, Athena sent a gust of wind that pushed the ship in the direction of their destination.