Mythology of the Iliad and the Odyssey by Karen Bornemann Spies

ready to reveal himself to Eumaeus.
    In the meantime, a dire situation had developed for Odysseus’ family on Ithaca. It had been twenty years since Odysseus had sailed for Troy. His baby son was now grown up. By now, everyone except his family and his trusted servants thought that Odysseus was dead. The general feeling was that Penelope should remarry, since she was queen of a rich land. Many suitors desired the wealth and power that would come with being ruler of Ithaca. They had come from all the nearby islands to try to convince Penelope to marry one of them. They spent many hours sitting in the great hall of the palace, eating and drinking the food and wine that by rights belonged to Odysseus. Even worse, the suitors were rude to Penelope and threatened to harm Telemachus.
    At first, Penelope tricked the suitors. She concocted a scheme which she hoped would drive her suitors to boredom and cause them to leave. “I cannot marry again until I have woven a very fine burial garment to cover the body of Laertes, the father of Odysseus. I must have this ready before Laertes dies,” she said.
    As rude as the suitors had been, none of them were rude enough to criticize such a task. Little did they know that each night, Penelope picked apart what she had woven during the day. Penelope carried on this scheme for three years until a disloyal servant told the suitors what she was doing. As a result, the suitors pestered Penelope even more to choose one of them to marry. This was the situation when Odysseus landed on Ithaca at the end of his ten years of wandering.
    Just before Odysseus had arrived on Ithaca, Athena had sent Telemachus to Pylos and Sparta. There, he learned about leadership from the kings and warriors Nestor and Menelaus. Then, Athena told him he needed to return to Ithaca, for his father was there. She also cautioned him that the suitors planned to ambush him upon his return, so he landed on the opposite side of the island from where they expected him. Then, Telemachus went to Eumaeus’ hut, where the swineherd welcomed him with tears of rejoicing.
    Odysseus, still in his beggar’s rags, approached Telemachus. Then, Athena turned Odysseus back into his royal self. He stood before his son in purple robes and shining armor. The two hugged each other and wept tears of joy.
    But their celebrating was short, for they had to plan what to do about the suitors. They decided to return to the palace with Odysseus dressed again as a beggar. Their strategy was to wait for the suitors to fall asleep drunk as they did each night. Then, Odysseus and Telemachus would hide the suitors’ weapons, so that they would be defenseless.
    Still not revealing his identity, Odysseus entered the palace and begged among the suitors. Some gave him food. However, one of them threw a footstool at Odysseus and threatened him.
    Penelope, however, would not allow anyone to be insulted or mistreated in her home. She asked the beggar how he had come to Ithaca and what his reasons were for visiting. He said, “Many years ago, I met your husband in Troy. He spoke so well of you that I knew I would be received in kindness.” He described precisely an unusual brooch, or pin, that Odysseus wore at his neck.
    Penelope cried when she heard the description of the brooch, because it reminded her how much she missed Odysseus. As much as he wanted to, though, Odysseus did not comfort her and identify himself, for the time was not yet right to do this. However, he told her that he had heard that Odysseus was in a nearby land, alive and well.
    Before retiring for the night, Penelope asked Euryclea, who had been Odysseus’ childhood nurse, to wash the feet of the beggar. Euryclea filled a bronze cauldron with hot water. As she scrubbed the beggar’s feet and legs, she felt a scar on his thigh and recognized it as a hunting injury Odysseus had received as a child. Odysseus warned her not to reveal his identity.
    The next day, Athena set in motion the