Book 1: The narrator calls upon the Muse to help him tell the story of Odysseus.

We pick up ten years after the fall of Troy in the Trojan War (the subject of The Iliad). In trying to return home, Odysseus and his shipmates had numerous adventures, but now Odysseus has been left alone on the island of Ogygia for the last eight years, captive of the beautiful goddess Calypso. We are told that Poseidon, god of the sea, will make Odysseus' journey home to Ithaca even more difficult (he is angry that Odysseus has blinded his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus), and trouble awaits the conquering hero back in Ithaca, too. In the hall of Zeus on Mount Olympos, all the gods but Poseidon gather and listen as Zeus reflects upon the moral failings of mortal men. He brings up the example of Aegistheus, who killed Agamemnon and stole his wife, though the gods warned him that Agamemnon's son, Orestes, would someday retaliate - which he justly did. Athena speaks on behalf of Odysseus, pleading with Zeus to free him from Calypso's grasp. He agrees, and the god Hermes will be sent to Calypso to ask her to free Odysseus. In disguise as an old friend of Odysseus', Athena travels to his manor in Ithaca, now overrun with noisy, lustful suitors intent on marrying Odysseus' wife, Penelope. Odysseus' son, Telemachus, unhappy among the suitors, greets Athena warmly as a stranger and invites her to their feast. As the suitors devour Odysseus' oxen, Telemachus says he believes his father - whom he does not know at all - is dead. Athena introduces herself as Odysseus' old friend Mentes and predicts that he will be home soon. He does not hold out any hope, however, and he and his mother remain helpless against the arrogant suitors. Athena instructs him to call an assembly of the islanders and order the suitors away; then he must sail away to find news of his father at Pylos and Sparta. After this, he must kill the suitors, as Orestes did. Inspired, Telemachus thanks her for her advice, and she leaves. The beautiful Penelope joins the suitors and asks the minstrel to stop singing the song of the homecoming of the Acheans (Greeks) after the Trojan War, as it reminds her of her husband's absence. But Telemachus reminds her that many others did not return from the war. She returns to her room and weeps for Odysseus. Telemachus tells the suitors that at daybreak he will call an assembly and banish them from his estate. Two of the suitors ask about the identity of the man Telemachus was speaking to; though he knows the visitor was immortal, Telemachus tells them it was a family friend. Book 2: At daybreak, Telemachus calls an assembly of the suitors and other islanders. He tells them of the suitors' disgraceful behavior and angrily tries to shame them into leaving. But Antinous puts the blame on Penelope, who has been teasing and deceiving the suitors for years, as when she promised to marry after she wove a shroud for her dead husband's father, Laertes. The cunning Penelope unwove each day's progress at night for three years (her trick was eventually discovered, and she had to finish the shroud). Antinous, one of the suitors, gives Telemachus a choice: evict his mother, or make her marry one of them. Telemachus rejects his offer, telling the suitors to leave and begging aid from Zeus. Zeus quickly sends down two eagles to attack the suitors - an omen of death - but the suitors deny the sign and insist things will remain as they are; they have been waiting too long for the prize of Penelope. Telemachus changes his tack, requesting a ship and crew for him to find news of his father at Pylos and Sparta; if he finds out he is dead, he will allow his mother to remarry. Before the assembly breaks, it is decreed that Odysseus' old friends, Mentor and Halitherses, will help him obtain the ship and crew. Telemachus calls upon the god who helped him yesterday. Athena returns to him in the form of Mentor, praises his abilities derived from his father, and assures him that his voyage will be

successful. She promises to find him a ship and crew and help him sail, and tells him to get provisions ready at home. There, Antinous tries to make amends and offers to help him get a ship and crew, but Telemachus coldly rejects him. The suitors mock him while he readies himself for the trip, careful not to let his mother know about his plans. Meanwhile, Athena walks around town disguised as Telemachus, inviting men to meet up at nightfall at a ship she has borrowed. At night, Athena makes the suitors fall asleep and, in the form of Mentor, informs Telemachus of the arrival of his crew. She leads him to his ship, his crew packs up their provisions, and they disembark with Athena on board. They drink to the gods, especially Athena. Book 3: Telemachus and his crew arrive at Pylos, where a sacrifice to Poseidon of dozens of bulls is taking place. Athena encourages the shy Telemachus to seek out old Nestor. He and his men are invited to feast and pay tribute to Poseidon. Athena prays to Poseidon for the success of their mission. After they eat, Telemachus tells Nestor, who fought alongside and was a great friend to Odysseus during the Trojan War, that he is seeking information about his father. Nestor does not know what befell Odysseus; after Ilium (Troy) fell, Athena provoked a fight between the brothers Menelaus and Agamemnon and divided the Acheans into two camps; those under command of the former left, while the latter stayed. Odysseus left, but he and his crew soon returned to please Agamemnon. Nestor and his crew made it back home, as did a few other groups, but many did not. Telemachus laments his situation with the suitors, and Nestor suggests Odysseus may return, or perhaps Athena will help him, as she used to do with his father. Telemachus does not believe the gods will aid him, and even if they did it would be to no avail; Athena disagrees. Telemachus asks Nestor how Aegistheus managed to kill Agamemnon. Nestor says that while Agamemnon and Menelaus were away fighting, Aegistheus eventually won over Agamemnon's queen, Clytemnestra. He ruled over Agamemnon's kingdom as a tyrant for seven years before Orestes killed him and Clytemnestra. Nestor warns Telemachus not to make the same mistake and stay away from home too long. He urges him to find Menelaus for more news, and offers to provide him with horses, a chariot, and his sons for company. Athena praises this idea, then disappears as a seahawk. The men are stunned, and the proof that the gods are on Telemachus' side inspires Nestor, who pledges a sacrifice to Athena. In the morning, he and his sons make the sacrifice of a golden-horned heifer, and his son, Peisistratus, accompanies Telemachus in a chariot. They arrive at Pherai at night, then Sparta the next day, and continue to their final destination of Sparta. Book 4: Telemachus and Peisistratus arrive at Menelaus' opulent mansion in Sparta. Menelaus welcomes them to the double wedding feast taking place for both his son and daughter. After the travelers are bathed and fed, Menelaus tells them of his grief for his mates who died at Troy - especially Odysseus. Helen, wife of Menelaus, emerges from her chamber and says their visitor must be Telemachus. Peisistratus confirms this, and says that Nestor sent them for help from Menelaus. Menelaus gives a moving speech about his feelings for Odysseus, inspiring tears in them all; Peisistratus is particularly affected, remembering his brother Antilokhos who died at Troy. Helen puts a magical libation in the wine bowl that prevents the drinker from crying that day. She encourages everyone to cheer up, and tells a story about Odysseus' disguising himself as a beggar during the war. Menelaus recounts the famous anecdote of how Odysseus hid himself and his men inside a wooden horse to invade Troy. Everyone retires to bed. The next morning, Telemachus tells Menelaus about his problems with the suitors and asks if he has news of Odysseus. The king is indignant at the behavior of the suitors and hopes Odysseus

can mete out their punishment. He tells of how, on his return from Troy, his men were stranded on an island without any wind. They managed to capture Proteus, the Ancient of the Sea. Proteus told them that if they made a sacrifice to the gods, they could continue home. He also told him about Agamemnon's murder, and that Odysseus is a prisoner on Calypso's island. Telemachus and Peisistratus return to Pylos to sail for Ithaca. Meanwhile, in Ithaca, the suitors find out about Telemachus' journey to Pylos and plan to ambush him on his way home. Penelope learns of their plans and Telemachus' journey, and grieves. She calls for help from Athena, who visits her in a dream as Penelope's sister. She assures Penelope she will protect Telemachus, though she cannot tell her anything about Odysseus. Book 5: Athena pleads to the gods and Zeus at Mount Olympos on behalf of the imprisoned Odysseus and Telemachus, who is in danger of being ambushed. Zeus tells her to protect Telemachus, and sends Hermes to order Calypso to release her prisoner - although Odysseus must first sail alone on a raft to Phaeacia, where he will receive lavish gifts from the Phaecians before returning home in a proper ship. Hermes races to Calypso's beautiful island. He gives the goddess Zeus' command. She reluctantly agrees, but not before pointing out that male gods are allowed to take mortal lovers while female ones are not, and informs the weeping Odysseus of the new plans. He is suspicious of her sudden help and does not think a raft will be sufficient for the ocean, but she assures him there is no subterfuge. They have dinner, and Calypso tries to convince him that she is better than his mortal wife. Odysseus flatters her but insists he longs for home. They sleep together, as they do every night. With Calypso's help, Odysseus makes his raft over the next four days and, after receiving some gifts and a magical breeze, he leaves on the fifth day. He sails for 17 more days until he nears Phaeacia, but Poseidon sees him and realizes the gods have freed him. He conjures a mighty storm, and Odysseus believes he will drown as he is tossed around and thrown underwater. The goddess Ino of the Slim Ankles rescues him with her veil. Odysseus thinks it may be another trick, but after his raft breaks apart, he takes her veil and swims. Athena calms the storm, and Odysseus swims for two days until he nears shore. But sharp rocks surround it, and he fears dying on them in the rough surf. Athena instructs him to grab hold of an oncoming rock-ledge; he does, tearing the skin on his hands. After he is pulled underwater, he finds a calm river and finally collapses on land. Knowing the river area will be too cold at night, he finds a bed of leaves in a nearby forest - though he may be easy prey for wild animals - and goes to sleep. Book 6: At night, Athena visits the Phaecian princess, Nausicaa, in a dream and urges her to wash her clothing. When Nausicaa wakens, she takes a mule-cart and her maids, and they wash her clothing in pools by a river. They spread the wet clothing along the beach, then wash themselves and play a game in the nude. Odysseus, naked himself, wakes up when he hears them. He approaches them, but his dirty, wild appearance frightens all of them away but Nausicaa. He asks if she is mortal or a goddess, and praises her surpassing beauty. He asks for her help in directing him to town and providing him clothing. She gladly agrees, and directs her maids to tend to him. Odysseus is modest, however, and wants to bathe in privacy. He cleans up, with Athena making him even more handsome, and the maids give him food and drink. Nausicaa directs him to walk behind her cart with her maids on the way to town, but warns him that if people in town see him with her, they will gossip that he is her future husband. Therefore, she asks him to hide behind some trees near the city wall when they enter, then to ask direction

later to the palace of Alcinous. There he will find her mother, whom he should ask for help; if she likes him, she will have him home soon. They head to town and pass Athena's grove, where Odysseus prays for to Athena for hospitality from the Phaecians. Book 7: After he waits for Nausicaa to go to her father's palace, Odysseus makes his way alone and encounters Athena in the form of a little girl. He asks her for directions to the palace, and she leads him there while shrouding him in mist so no one can see him. She tells him Alcinous and his revered queen Arete are at supper. He enters the lush, ornate palace and finds the king and queen. He embraces Arete's knees and asks her for passage to his home. Alcinous leads Odysseus to the table, where he is fed. Alcinous says they will make a sacrifice in the morning, then think of how to send Odysseus home. He also wonders if Odysseus is a god; Odysseus assures him he is not, and that he has suffered great pains. Later at night, alone with Alcinous and Odysseus, Arete recognizes Odysseus' clothing as her own creation and asks him who he is and who gave him his clothing. He relates his story from Calypso's island until Nausicaa's help earlier that day. Alcinous says Nausicaa should have taken him home with her directly, but Odysseus says it was his idea to follow her separately. Taken with Odysseus, Alcinous vows to help him get home. Book 8: In the morning, Athena, in the form of a crier, calls the townspeople to assemble to meet a stranger. The crowd gathers and sees Odysseus cast in a godly light by Athena. Alcinous asks them to provide a ship and crew for their anonymous guest, and then prepare for a festival celebrating the stranger. His instructions are followed, and at a feast for Odysseus, the blind bard Demodocus sings a song about the battle between Odysseus and Achilles at Troy. Odysseus furtively cries at the memories it stirs, and Alcinous notices, stops the music, and starts up the pentathlon trials. Various games are played, and Prince Laodamas asks Odysseus to join. With so much on his mind, Odysseus is reluctant to play, and one of the athletes, Seareach, accuses Odysseus of having no athletic talent. Odysseus takes up the challenge and throws a discus farther than anyone else. Inspired by his throw and by the disguised Athena's praise of it, Odysseus dares anyone to best him in any athletic contest, especially archery. He silences the crowd, and Alcinous praises his prowess and suggests a dance performance. Demodocus sings about a tryst between Ares and Aphrodite, which ended when the cuckolded Hephaistos forged chains and snared them when they went to bed together. He then invited the other gods to witness the adulterers caught in the act. Odysseus enjoys the story, and is impressed by the following dance Alcinous' sons perform. Alcinous gives Odysseus a great bounty of clothing and gold, and Seareach, by way of apology, gives him a fine silver-and-ivory broadsword. On Alcinous' orders, maids bathe him. When he returns to the main hall, Princess Nausicaa asks him to remember her; he tells her he owes her his life. During the feast, Odysseus praises Demodocus' song about the Acheans, and asks him to sing about the wooden horse Odysseus used to invade Troy. He does, and Odysseus again weeps and only Alcinous notices. Alcinous stops the music, questions why the stranger has cried despite all the gifts he has received, and asks him for his name and his full story. Book 9: Odysseus reveals his name and homeland to Alcinous, and says Calypso held him against his will prior to his arrival. He traces his route after Troy. After his crew plundered Ismaros, a coastal town of the Cicones, they fought the army of the Cicones. They lost many men by the time his twelve ships sailed away, and suffered a great storm the next few days at sea. On their tenth day,

they reach the island of the Lotus Eaters, a peaceful people who eat the sweet, pleasureproducing plant, the Lotus. Three of Odysseus' men eat the Lotus and wish to remain there, but Odysseus forces them back on to the ship and sails off again. They next reach the land of the Cyclopes, a race of lawless, hermit-like, one-eyed giants. The next day, Odysseus' men feast on the plentiful goats on the deserted, fertile island across from the mainland of the Cyclopes. The day after, Odysseus and his crew cross to the mainland to meet the Cyclopes. They spot a huge brute of a man in a field, and Odysseus brings a goatskin full of sweet liquor as a gift. They reach his cave - he is still in the pasture - and Odysseus' men want to steal his cheeses and livestock. Odysseus refuses, wanting to meet the owner. They wait for him, then hide when he comes in and does his chores. The Cyclops, named Polyphemus, notices them and asks who they are, and Odysseus introduces themselves and asks for any help he can provide, warning him not to offend Zeus, the god of hospitality. Polyphemus ridicules this idea; he does not care about the gods. Instead, he asks where Odysseus' ship is; the crafty leader lies and says it was wrecked and that they are the only survivors. Polyphemus grabs two of Odysseus' men, beats them dead, and eats them whole while the other men watch, powerless. Polyphemus then goes to sleep in his doorway, preventing Odysseus from killing him, as they would not be able to move aside his huge dead body to escape. In the morning, Polyphemus eats some more men, then leaves and blocks the cave's entrance with a large stone. Odysseus hatches a plan to defeat Polyphemus. He chops a six-foot section out of the Polyphemus' large club, then hews it to make a sharp, pointed end, and finally holds it in the fire to toughen it. At night, Polyphemus returns and eats two more men. Odysseus offers him some of his wine; Polyphemus asks for more and for his name, promising him a gift. Odysseus says his name is "Nobody," and Polyphemus says his gift will be eating him next. But Polyphemus falls asleep, drunk, and Odysseus and four men reheat their spike in the fire and ram it in Polyphemus' one eye. They blind him and he howls for his fellow Cyclopes, who come to the outside of his cave and ask him if a man has tricked him. "Nobody," says Polyphemus, has ruined him. The other Cyclopes believe he means "nobody" has ruined him, and they leave him, telling him to pray to his father, Poseidon. Polyphemus opens the cave door, hoping to catch anyone who tries to escape. Odysseus comes up with another idea. He ties the rams in the cave together and creates a sling under each ram in which the men can ride. They stay in their ram-carriages until morning, when Polyphemus lets the rams pass through the entrance. Odysseus' ram, the leader, goes last, and Polyphemus asks why it is not in its customary leading position. Once they are in the clear, the men drop out of their slings and drive the rams to their ship. Safely on the sea again, Odysseus shouts insults Polyphemus. Polyphemus breaks off a hilltop and throws it near the ship, tossing it off balance with a giant wave. Despite the pleas of his crew not to give away their position by again taunting Polyphemus, Odysseus gives the Cyclops the name and homeland of the man who blinded him. Polyphemus says he was once given a prophecy that someone named Odysseus, presumably a giant, would blind him; now he asks Odysseus to come back, as he will treat him well and pray for him to his father, Poseidon. Odysseus rejects his offer, and Polyphemus prays to Poseidon that Odysseus lose his companions and never return home. Immediately, Poseidon sends a huge stone that nearly hits the ship. The crew rushes to meet its waiting fleet, and the men make a sacrificial offering of the rams to Zeus. However, Zeus has destruction and death in mind for the unwitting men. They feast that day, and the next morning they continue their journey home. Book 10: Odysseus continues his story for Alcinous. After the encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus and his crew reach the island of the wind god Aeolus. Aeolus hosts them for a month, and then

provides Odysseus with a bag containing storm winds to help them sail. They sail off with his westerly wind at their backs, and after ten days come within sight of Ithaca. But while Odysseus sleeps, his crew, mistakenly believing Aeolus' bag is full of silver and gold, greedily open it. All the winds rush out and the ship is sent off course in a hurricane. They are sent back to Aeolus' island, and Odysseus explains to him what happened. Aeolus believes Odysseus' journey is cursed by the gods and refuses to help him further. Odysseus and his crew sail on without any wind and reach Lamos, land of the giant Laistrygonians. The king, Antiphates, and the queen eat one of Odysseus' envoys, and the crew barely escapes as the other Laistrygonians shoot boulders at the retreating ship. The men arrive at the island of the goddess Circe. Odysseus kills a buck and boosts his crew's morale with a great feast. He tells his crew that he saw smoke rising from the forest, but his men, thinking back on the their last few encounters with strangers, are afraid to meet any new ones. But Odysseus, after a random selection, sends half of the weeping men under command of Eurylochus off to investigate. Outside Circe's house lie subdued and spellbound wolves and mountain lions. Inside, Circe sings while weaving on her loom. All the men - except for Eurylochus, who suspects deceit - are reassured by this gentle behavior and enter. Circe fixes them a feast and adds something to their drinks; once they drink it, they are turned into pigs. She shuts them in a pigsty while Eurylochus runs back to alert the crew. Odysseus goes alone to her house despite Eurylochus' protestations. The god Hermes stops him on his way and gives him a plant that will preserve him against Circe's own pig-poison. Then Odysseus should threaten her with death, at which point Circe will offer to sleep with him. Odysseus must accept, as it will break her spell over his crew. Odysseus visits Circe, and the plant works its magic against her poison. He goes through with Hermes' plan, and by his fortitude she takes him to be the great Odysseus. As Hermes predicted, she asks him to sleep with her; he first makes her promise not to use any more enchantments. They retire to her opulent bedchamber, but Odysseus is concerned about his companions. Circe turns them back into men, now looking better than ever. She tells Odysseus to have his men bring their ships and gear ashore and come back with everyone. He does, and they all return but the still suspicious Eurylochus. The men are bathed by Circe's maids and given a dinner. Circe invites Odysseus to stay with her on her island. The men end up staying for a year in the paradise until they finally remind Odysseus of their mission. Odysseus asks Circe to help them sail home, but she says he must go to Hades, the land of Death, and speak to the blind seer Teiresias. She gives the dejected Odysseus detailed instructions for sailing to Hades and preparing rites to summon Teiresias. Odysseus tells his crew it is time to leave, but the youngest, Elpenor, having drunkenly slept on the roof, falls and kills himself. Book 11: Odysseus and his crew sail to the region of the Men of Winter and, per Circe's instructions, make a ritual sacrifice for Teiresias. While waiting for Teiresias, Odysseus cuts down the other phantoms that emerge, including Elpenor, who had fallen from Circe's roof. Odysseus promises him a proper sailor's burial back on Circe's island. He also sees his dead mother, Anticleia. Finally, Teiresias appears and warns him that Poseidon seeks vengeance for the blinding of his son, Polyphemus. He warns Odysseus not to touch the flocks of Helios when he lands on Thrinacie, predicting doom for his crew if they do. He further predicts that Odysseus will make it alone to his house and slay Penelope's destructive suitors. Then he will take an oar to a place where men do not know of the sea, and when someone asks him about the "fan" on his shoulder, he should make a sacrifice to Poseidon; the sacrifice will ensure a rich life for him thereafter.

Teiresias leaves, and Odysseus allows Anticleia to sip the blood he has prepared and thus talk. He briefly tells her about the purpose of his journey, then asks what killed her, and then asks after the rest of his family. She relates Penelope's and Telemachus' lives, and says his father stays at home, pining for his son's return. She was like this, too, and her loneliness and longing for Odysseus is what killed her. Odysseus tries to hug her, but his hands pass through the air. After they finish talking, more shadows come and tell their stories to Odysseus. Odysseus stops his story. The Phaecian king, Alcinous, asks him to spend another day with them so they can furnish him with gifts, then asks if he met any of his fellow warriors among the shadows. Odysseus relates how he saw Agamemnon, who tells him how Aegistheus and his wife Clytemnestra killed him, and warns him about the wickedness of women; he should return home secretly, without warning to his wife. Odysseus talks with other shadows, including Achilles, about whose son, Neoptolemus, he tells him. He sees Tantalus, tortured by food and drink always just out of reach, and Sisyphus, perpetually pushing a boulder up a hill. The shadows mass in the thousands and frighten away Odysseus, who sails away with his crew. Book 12: Odysseus and his crew sail back to Circe's island, where they make a funeral pyre for Elpenor. Circe gives them a feast, and at night warns Odysseus of the dangers his ship will face tomorrow. The next day, the crew follows her instructions, plugging their ears so the song of the Sirens will not tempt them away from their course; Odysseus listens to it but has his men lash him to the mast. Next, the men must sail between Scylla, a six-headed sea monster that devours sailors, and the treacherous whirlpools of Charybdis. Odysseus does not tell them of the imminent death, as they would panic. Indeed, Scylla seizes and eats six men. The crew passes by the dangers and reaches the island of Helios, the Sun. Odysseus passes on Teiresias' and Circe's counsel not to eat the oxen or even land on the island. Tired and hungry, they want to sleep on the island, but Odysseus makes them promise not to touch the oxen. They moor, eat, and mourn their dead mates. Winds prevent them from leaving for a month, and their store of food thins. While Odysseus prays to the gods in isolation one day, Eurylochus incites the others to sacrifice the oxen. Odysseus returns and sees what has happened, and quickly Lord Helios asks Zeus to punish them. After the crew feasts for six days, they set sail. Zeus whips up a storm for punishment and shoots a thunderbolt at the ship, wrecking it. The men fall in the water, and Odysseus grabs on to floating pieces of the ship. He drifts back to Charybdis, from which he barely escapes. With protection from above, he squeaks by Scylla and drifts to Calypso's island. Odysseus reminds his audience that he has already told them of this. Book 13: Odysseus stops telling his story, and the next day Alcinous and others give him gifts. Odysseus thanks Alcinous for his hospitality, and after some fanfare Alcinous' men set sail while Odysseus sleeps peacefully on board. The Phaecians arrive at Ithaca the next day, unload Odysseus and his gear, and return home. Poseidon appeals to Zeus, angry that Odysseus has had such a placid return home. He receives permission from Zeus to turn the Phaecian ship into stone near their harbor for punishment. Alcinous observes this, which fulfills a prophecy (from Book 8) and leads his men in a sacrifice to Poseidon; the Phaecians resolve never again to give strangers conveyance. Odysseus awakens, thinking he is in a strange land. Athena comes to him in the form of a shepherd and informs him he is in Ithaca. Odysseus makes up a story about how he came to Ithaca. Athena turns into a woman and good-naturedly tells him she knows he is lying, and then

reveals her identity. She warns him not to let anyone know of his return, and helps him plan death for the suitors. He will reunite with his old swineherd, while she will recall Telemachus from Sparta. She transforms him into a decrepit old man for safety, and they part ways. Book 14: At his forest hut, Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, meets his old swineherd, Eumaeus. Eumaeus gives him dinner and tells him about the suitors and his dead lord, Odysseus. Odysseus promises him that his lord will return and seek vengeance against the suitors. Eumaeus, who hates the suitors and misses Odysseus dearly, tells him that the suitors are going to ambush Telemachus upon his return. When pressed for his background, Odysseus spins a yarn about growing up on Crete, fighting in the Trojan War, gaining his fortune in Egypt, and being enslaved and made the beggar he is now. During his adventures he heard that Odysseus was still alive, though Eumaeus is skeptical. Odysseus sleeps in the hut while Eumaeus faithfully tends to his lord's herd. Book 15: Athena finds Telemachus in Sparta and urges him to return home lest his mother marry one of the suitors, Eurymachus. She also warns him of the looming ambush, and tells him to find Eumaeus and have him deliver the message to Penelope that he has returned. Telemachus receives permission from Menelaus to leave and, his cart laden with gifts from his hosts, rides off with Peisistratus, Nestor's son, but not before an eagle flies off with a goose in its clutches. Helen interprets this as a sign that Odysseus will soon return to seek vengeance on the suitors. Back at Pylos, Telemachus prepares to sail home with his crew. Theoclymenus, the son of a prophet and a fugitive for a murder he committed in his homeland, asks for and receives a place on Telemachus' ship. They sail through the night, wind-aided by Athena. Back in Ithaca, Odysseus tries to get Eumaeus to invite him to stay longer by announcing he will leave in the morning and look for work with the suitors. Eumaeus refuses, insisting he stay until Telemachus returns. Odysseus asks about his parents, and Eumaeus tells him about the death of Odysseus' mother and the loneliness of his father, Laertes. Eumaeus then relates his life story: abducted by pirates, Laertes purchased him, and Odysseus' mother raised him as if he were her own son. The men talk into the night; meanwhile, Telemachus lands, having safely avoided the ambush. Nearby, a hawk picks up a dove, and Theoclymenus sees this as a sign that Telemachus' family will stay in power forever. Telemachus sends his guest home with a shipmate and goes off on his own to meet Eumaeus. Book 16: Telemachus arrives at Eumaeus' hut. The swineherd embraces him as if he were his own son and introduces him to his "beggar" companion, Odysseus. Telemachus is reluctant to place Odysseus under his protection as requested, as he has his hands full with the suitors; he can only give him some staples and send him where he wishes. Odysseus tries to rally him to fight the suitors, but Telemachus insists that he is powerless against them. He asks Eumaeus to tell Penelope and Laertes that he has returned safely, but not to let the suitors know. Athena appears to Odysseus as a tall woman and instructs him to disclose his true identity to his son. She makes him youthful and attractive again. Telemachus sees his new appearance and believes him to be a god, but Odysseus reveals he is his father and explains that Athena changed his form. Telemachus hugs him and both men cry. Odysseus recounts how the Phaecians gave him safe passage to Ithaca, and says they need to plan to kill the suitors. Telemachus does not think they can defeat the suitors, who number over one hundred, even with the help of Athena and Zeus.

Odysseus hatches a plan: tomorrow Telemachus will return to the manor, and Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, will join him later with Eumaeus. Odysseus will endure whatever abuses the suitors heap on him. Then Athena will give Odysseus the word, and he shall signal to Telemachus to stow away all their weapons but two sets of arms for them to use later. He warns him not to let anyone, even Eumaeus or Penelope, know about his identity, as a test of loyalty. Meanwhile, a messenger from Telemachus' ship loudly informs Penelope that her son has returned; Eumaeus whispers the same message to her. The suitors hear the messenger and do not understand how Telemachus escaped their ambush. They decide they must kill him before he tells the Acheans about their murderous plans, and they will redouble their courtship of Penelope. One of the suitors, Amphinomus, argues that they should consult the gods to see if murdering Telemachus is the correct action; the others agree and they break up the meeting. Penelope, who has already heard that the suitors plan to kill her son, tells them to cease their plotting. The suitor Eurymachus denies it, and Penelope goes off to sleep. Eumaeus returns to his hut and tells Telemachus and the "beggar" that the messenger already gave word to Penelope about her son's return. The men go to sleep. Book 17: Telemachus excuses himself from Eumaeus to see his mother, and instructs him to lead Odysseus to town so he can beg. At the manor, Penelope tearfully embraces her son and asks what news he learned. Telemachus instead tells her to make a sacrifice to the gods to help them with their revenge. He meets up with the fugitive Theoclymenus in town and brings him home, where they receive baths. After, Telemachus tells his mother what he learned about Odysseus on his journey, although he lies and says Odysseus is still captive on Calypso's island. Theoclymenus, however, divines that Odysseus is now on the island somewhere, but Penelope is not ready to believe him. The suitors soon come in for dinner. Meanwhile, Odysseus and Eumaeus head to town. They run into the hotheaded goatherd Melanthius, who taunts Odysseus' beggarly appearance and kicks him. Odysseus restrains himself and soldiers on, but Eumaeus curses him. At his manor, Odysseus' old dog, a puppy when he left, recognizes his master, though he is too decrepit to move; he dies soon after. Odysseus enters after Eumaeus to beg amongst the suitors. They give him bread, but Antinous soon turns against him. Telemachus defends the beggar and calls Antinous selfish. The others give Odysseus food, and he praises Antinous' appearance and starts a story about how he was once rich, too. Antinous interrupts him, orders him out, and hits his shoulder with his stool. Odysseus is unfazed by the blow and calls on the gods to kill Antinous. The other suitors scold Antinous for hitting the beggar in case he is a god in disguise, but he shrugs it off. In her room, Penelope hears the blow and wishes ill will upon Antinous. She asks Eumaeus to send the beggar to her room, but Odysseus says that it is too risky right now with the suitors, and that he will visit her at night. Before he returns to his hut, Eumaeus warns Telemachus to be on his guard against the suitors. Book 18: An actual beggar, Iros, enters the palace and violently orders Odysseus to leave. Odysseus tries to calm him down, but Iros challenges him to a fight. Antinous overhears the squabble and gathers the suitors to watch, promising a goat stomach and unlimited access to meals at the palace from now on to the victor. After ensuring that none of the suitors will strike him when he is not looking, Odysseus' strong body, with aid from Athena, intimidates Iros. Odysseus makes short work of him and takes him outside. The suitors congratulate Odysseus and reward him with food. Odysseus warns them that the lord of the house will return soon and win his revenge through blood. The suitor Amphinomus, knowing he will die, tries to leave, but Athena makes sure he

stays. Athena influences Penelope to make an appearance before the suitors, first beautifying her through her powers. Penelope comes downstairs and privately rebukes Telemachus for allowing such abuse of the stranger. He tells her he had no option with the suitors and informs her of the beggar's one-sided fight with Iros. She laments Odysseus' absence and recalls his directions when he departed for Troy to remarry once Telemachus has grown up, but she finds the suitors despicable. Odysseus happily hears this, as does Antinous, who insists that they will not leave until she marries one of them. The suitors bring her gifts, and she returns upstairs with them. The suitors revel the rest of the night, and Odysseus tells the housemaids to attend to Penelope; he will look after the suitors. One of them, Melantho, who was raised by Penelope but does little to return her affection, insults Odysseus. He threatens retribution from Telemachus for her remarks, and she and the others leave. Eurymachus hurls a number of jokes at Odysseus' expense. Odysseus again foretells the lord of the manor's vengeful return. Eurymachus throws his stool, but Odysseus ducks. The suitors believe they are wasting their efforts on this beggar, and Telemachus gently encourages them to retire for the evening. This irritates them, but Amphinomus directs them to have one more drink before bed. Book 19: Odysseus and Telemachus stow away the weapons as planned. Telemachus goes to bed while Odysseus meets Penelope and her maids. Melantho again disparages his beggarly appearance, and Odysseus again reminds her he was once powerful, and warns her of Odysseus' return. Penelope also reprimands Melantho. Penelope questions Odysseus about his origins, but he says it is too painful to discuss. She discloses her unpleasant situation with the suitors and feels she has no strength left to resist remarriage. She presses again for his background, and Odysseus tells his story about Crete and says he once hosted Odysseus at Knossos for twelve days before he shipped out again. Penelope cries at the story, then asks for some proof - a description of what Odysseus looked like and who was with him. He provides a somewhat accurate description of Odysseus' clothing, including a cloak and tunic Penelope gave him, and some of his company. Penelope cries again and is won over. She promises to treat him as her guest, though she grieves for Odysseus, who she believes must be dead. Odysseus swears to her Odysseus is alive and preparing to return home, and recalls many of the actual details of his journey. Penelope still believes in her heart that Odysseus is dead. She instructs her maids to tend to her guest and treat him well during his stay. Odysseus rejects the luxuries she wants to bestow upon him, however, as he claims he is used to austerity. Still, he will let one maid - Eurycleia - clean his feet. Both Penelope and the old nurse are reminded of Odysseus when they see the beggar's body; Odysseus says others have remarked on the similarity before. While Eurycleia bathes him, she recognizes an old hunting wound on Odysseus' thigh and exclaims that the beggar is Odysseus. But Athena diverts Penelope's attention so she does not hear the revelation, and Odysseus pulls Eurycleia close and tells her not to give him away, lest he kill her. She vows loyalty and silence. Penelope asks Odysseus to interpret a dream she has had about an eagle who preys on geese near her house, then talks to her and says the geese were the suitors and he is Odysseus. Odysseus tells her he believes the dream is accurate, but Penelope is skeptical. She reveals a contest she has planned for tomorrow: she will marry the suitor who can take Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads that are lined up. Odysseus insists that her true husband will show up for the event. Penelope goes upstairs to weep over Odysseus and sleep. Book 20:

As Odysseus lies awake on the ground, he restrains himself from killing the suitors, who cavort with women in their own beds. He asks Athena, who appears near him, how he alone can defeat them; she assures him that he will be fine with her protection, and sends him to sleep. Upstairs, Penelope is also sleepless and prays to Artemis to make her die. Her cries wake Odysseus, who prays to Zeus to give him a sign that he helped bring him home. Zeus sends down a peal of thunder, and one of Odysseus' maids takes it as a sign from Zeus and asks that this be the suitors' last day. Odysseus is encouraged. Telemachus wakens and the house springs to life. Outside, Melanthius again belittles Odysseus, who resists fighting back. The cattle foreman, Philoitius, extends a warm welcome to the beggar and says his appearance reminds him of his lord Odysseus. The suitors make excessive demands on his cattle and he is agonizing over whether to relocate, but Odysseus promises that his lord will return and vanquish the suitors. Meanwhile, the suitors plot to kill Telemachus, but the passing of an eagle with a rockdove in its grip causes Amphinomus to abort the plan. A feast ensures, and Telemachus seats his father and demands that the suitors leave him alone. Antinous recommends to the other suitors that they endure Telemachus' "hectoring." Yet Athena allows the abuse of Odysseus to resume, and one, Ctesippus, throws a cow's foot at him and misses. Telemachus threatens him and the rest of the suitors with strong words. They agree not to touch the beggar anymore, but insist that Odysseus is dead and it is time for Penelope to choose a husband. Telemachus says he cannot force his mother to marry when she does not want to; the suitors laugh uproariously. The prophet Theoclymenus sees the animal blood streaming from their mouths as signs of death for them, but they laugh it off. Book 21: Penelope retrieves Odysseus' great bow from the storeroom and her maids bear axeheads into the main hall. Penelope explains the game: whoever can string her husband's bow and shoot an arrow through the twelve axeheads will marry her. Telemachus gives it a try first; he is unable to string the bow three times, then is about to succeed on the fourth when Odysseus gives him a look and he stops. Other suitors fail to string the bow. Meanwhile, Odysseus follows Eumaeus and Philoitius outside and reveals his true identity to them, using his scar as proof. After they swear loyalty to him, he instructs them to give him the bow and lock the door when the time comes. Back in the hall, Eurymachus fails with the bow, and Antinous suggests they postpone the contest, make a sacrifice tomorrow to Apollo, god of archers, and try again. Odysseus asks to try the bow, but Antinous threatens him not to. Penelope insists the beggar be allowed the opportunity; if he succeeds, she will give him clothing and other gifts. Telemachus sends her to her room, and then orders Eumaeus to give Odysseus the bow. The door and courtyard gate are also locked. Odysseus examines the bow as the suitors mock him. He smoothly strings it as Zeus thunders, then shoots the arrow through the axeheads. Book 22: After he has proven himself with the axeheads, Odysseus stands by the door and kills Antinous with an arrow through the throat. The suitors look for weapons on the wall, but there are none. They promise death for Odysseus, but he reveals his identity and vows to exact vengeance. The suitors are intimidated, and Eurymachus says that the dead Antinous was their leader and coerced them into following him; if Odysseus spares the suitors, they will repay what they took from him. Odysseus angrily refuses, and Eurymachus calls on the suitors to draw their swords and fight. Eurymachus attacks, but Odysseus cuts him down with an arrow in his chest. While Odysseus staves off the suitors with his bow, Telemachus retrieves arms and armor from the room he stored them in and gives them to his father, Eumaeus, and Philoitius. Melanthius steals away to

the storeroom and returns with arms and armor for the suitors. Eumaeus catches him in the act the second time around, and he and Philoitius tie him in a painful position to the rafters. Athena appears in the main hall in the form of Mentor, though Odysseus knows it is she. The suitors threaten to kill Mentor if he joins the fight, but Athena, while on Odysseus' side, does not immediately join in the action; she wants Odysseus and Telemachus to prove their worth first. The suitor Agelaos leads the plan: attack Odysseus alone. But Athena sends their spears awry, and Odysseus' team slaughters a number of the suitors while suffering only minor damage. Athena's shield appears in the hall, inspiring further dread in the suitors. One suitor, Leodes, supplicates himself at Odysseus' knees, excusing himself from the others' actions. Odysseus does not believe his claims and decapitates Leodes. Phemuis, the minstrel, also begs mercy, and Telemachus grants it to him and also to Medon, their herald. With the suitors all dead, Odysseus asks Eurycleia, the old nurse, which of the women of his house were disloyal to him. Twelve were, she replies, and Odysseus has them clean the bloody room before they are hanged outside. The men amputate several of Melanthius' body parts. Odysseus orders the room to be purified with fire and brimstone, and weeps as all his loyal servants embrace him. Book 23: Eurycleia wakes Penelope and tells her about Odysseus' return and his victory over the suitors. Penelope believes she is wrong, that a god must have killed the suitors and that Odysseus is dead. She finally goes downstairs and observes Odysseus in silence and from a distance, unsure if it is really he. She wants to test him with "secret signs" only the two of them know. Odysseus consents, but first lays out a plan to deal with the aftermath of the massacre: to make sure no one finds out about the murders, they will pretend Penelope's wedding to one of the suitors is occurring in the palace to give them time to flee to the woods. Telemachus and the others set up a fake wedding celebration. Penelope maintains her neutral attitude toward Odysseus and asks Eurycleia to make up his bed outside her bedchamber. Odysseus is angry; no one can move the bed he made out of an olive tree. His intimate knowledge of the bed is proof that he is truly Odysseus, and Penelope embraces him and asks forgiveness for her suspicion. Odysseus weeps and holds his wife. He has one more trial, however, that Teiresias told him about: he must take an oar through the mainland and find men who do not know of the sea, until one asks what the oar is. Then he shall plant the oar there and make a sacrifice to Poseidon, return home, and make further sacrifices to all the gods. In bed, she tells him about the suitors, and he recounts his adventures. In the morning, Odysseus tells Penelope that he must visit his father. He is afraid word will spread about yesterday's events, so he instructs her to take her maids to the upper floor and not have any contact with the outside. He leaves with Telemachus and his herdsmen, hidden with Athena's help. Book 24: Hermes leads the suitors - who squeal like bats - into Hades, where they encounter the ghosts of Achilles and Agamemnon. The suitor Amphimedon explains their fate to Agamemnon, who invidiously compares his deceitful, murderous wife Clytemnestra to the faithful steadfastness of Penelope. Meanwhile, Odysseus and his troop reach Laertes' dwelling. On his own, Odysseus finds his frail, elderly father tending to his vineyard. Odysseus comes up with a false identity and introduces himself, noting that he last saw Odysseus five years ago. Laertes' grief forces Odysseus to reveal himself, proving his identity via his scar and knowledge of the vineyard's trees. They embrace and join the others inside to eat, including the old servant Dolius, father of the treacherous Melantho

and Melanthius. Odysseus tells his father about his victory over the suitors. Back in town, the goddess Rumor bandies about word of the suitors' defeat. The townspeople take away the bodies and bury them, then convene. Half of them, led by Eupeithes, father of Antinous, want vengeance for the deaths of their sons, while others realize that a god was on Odysseus' side and argue that their uninhibited sons deserved their fates. Eupeithes leads the former camp to Laertes' house, but Athena, disguised as Mentor, incites Laertes to hurl his spear at Eupeithes. Odysseus and his comrades begin killing the others, but Athena stops them and declares a truce between the warring parties.