After the suitors departed for the night, Telemekus and I remained in the quiet hall. He soon sent the maids to their chambers and the two of us worked to remove the weapons from the hall by the light of Athena. Once our work was finished, Telemkus retired to his chamber and I waited for Penelope. As our conversation began she asked me of my family and my origin, and although I resisted she forced it upon me. I lied and said I was from Krete and that I had met and been a host of Odysseus on his journey to Troy. When she asked for details, I described myself the best I could, and did quite the job, seeing as I brought the poor lady to tears. Even as she believed me thouroughly, she would not accept that Odysseus was to return, though I, Odysseus, was sitting right before her very eyes. Although she refused believe what I knew to be true, she offered me a nice bed and a place to rest, along with a seat next to Telemekus the following day. I politely declined the bed, saying that I had not seen a bed since leaving Krete and that I was to be more comfortable on the floor. However, when she offered a bath, I could not decline. Little did I remember that any of the older maids would recognize the scar on my leg. When Eurykleia saw the wound she immediately shouted to the queen though there was some distraction that kept Penelope from hearing her cries and I hushed her before she could make another attempt to ruin my cover. I then convinced her of my motive to keep my identity a secret and she gladly agreed to assist in any way that she could. When I returned from bathing, Penelope posed one last request. She wanted me to interpret a dream for her. When she was finished I did not understand how she couldn't understand the foreshadowing that was occurring. It clearly stated the coming of Odysseus and the fall of the suitors, but even when I pointed it out, she could not see it. It was now time for her to retire to her chamber and for me to try to sleep as well as I could on the hard floor.
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