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.