Revealing to Penelope (book 23)

Once all other matters were dealt with, there was one thing remaining on my mind. Telling Penelope of my homecoming. However, when Eurykleia went upstairs to bring my wife the great news, she would not believe it, and even when she convinced Penelope to come downstairs, she would not accept it. She sat across the room, and hardly looked at me. Telemekus tried to convince her to speak to her, but I convinced him to give her, her time. Sure enough she came to her senses, and even in her everyday conversation I could sense the tests that were there to make sure that I really was home. When I asked for a bed, she said that she had moved my bed, but that I could sleep on if I so pleased. I blew up in her face for this. There was no way she or any other man could have moved that bed unless a god had come to their assistance for the bed was anchored to the house. This was the final test, and as I questioned her, she threw her arms around me after she realized that no other man would know about the bed. We then took to that bed to rest for the night and share our stories of the past 20 years, during our separation. As much as I wanted to stay with her the following day, I had to go visit my father before he died of grief that I was gone, as my mother had. Telemekus and I then made our way to my fathers in a shield of darkness from Athena. 

Death in the Great Hall (book 22)

Now that it was time to fight, I shrugged off my rags, my disguise, and leapt to stand in the doorway. Many arrows lay at my feet waiting to kill the suitor of my choice. My first arrow went to Antinoos and it hit him square under the chin just as a sip of wine was falling onto his lips. He fell backward and knocked his table about, sending bread and meat onto the dusty floor. Now, all the suitors turned to me in their fury. They screamed threats in their anger, but before any of them could be carried out, I revealed myself to them and they went green with fear. Only one man had the courage to speak, Eurymakhos, and he begged for forgiveness, pleading that Antinoos was the ringleader and that none of the other men deserved to die. I heard him out, but I knew from the moment he started pleading that none would live, not even those who had no true desire to be there. When I turned him down he tried to rally his men before he lunged forward in an atempt to surprise me. Unfortunately for him, I had an arrow ready, and before he could come anywhere near me, there was an arrow through him and he lay dead on the floor. The next man to come after me was Amphinomos, though he died when Telemekus threw a spear straight through his back and he fell face first to the ground. My son then ran to retrieve a sword and a sheild for me while I held off the suitors with the arrows. As my loyal servants and I pulled on our helmets and shields, I shot the remainder of the arrows and with each shot another man went down. After a minor setback, the battle continued, though it turned ugly, as the suitors had gained armor and weapons. Even in these hard times, my men and I succeeded in holding off the others with the help of Athena who was disguised as Mentor. The only sparred were the minstrel and the herald. As soon as the suitors lay dead in the blood and dust on the floor, I sent for Eurykleia so she could get the maids together to clean the great hall. 

The Contest (book 21)

As I sat among the suitors in the great hall, Penelope joined us, my great bow in hand, quiver on her shoulder. I shuttered at the sight of it and the maids carrying 12 axe heads until I realized that there were none in the hall capable of stringing the bow. Not only could they not string it but they would not be able to shoot the bow through 12 axe heads. As the suitors tried their luck, and continuously failed, the swineherd, cowherd, and myself stepped outside. After swearing their loyalty, I revealed my true identity to them through my scar and we rejoiced together. Afterwards we laid our plans to kill the suitors and we headed back inside. When we rejoined the suitors, none had had luck stringing the bow so Antinoos made an anouncement. The contest would resume tomorrow after significant sacrifice to Apollo, the god of the bow. As they poured more wine out, I inquired whether I could attempt to string the bow. At first the suitors were oppossed, and rightly so, for how embarassing would it be if a beggar could string the bow, but not themselves. After, some significant persuading from Penelope and Telemekus, the suitors agreed that I could attempt, but that I would get new clothing in return for the task, as suppossed to Penelope's hand in marriage. As the bow lay in my hands, I took my time studying it for any marks or scratches that had been left since the master had last held his bow. Loyal men were sent to their places to prepare for battle. Seeing that everything was set, I strung the bow quickly and sent the arrow through the 12 axe heads without a thought. It silenced the hall and Telemekus now drew his sword, ready for battle.

Another day among the suitors (book 20)

After my discussion with Penelope, I made my way to the entrance of the hall to make myself as comfortable as possible on the hard ground. I was still though I could not sleep and even when the maids came to lay blankets upon me, I pretended to be sound asleep. As I lay there, a number of women passed by me, laughing, as they slipped into the castle. How I longed to spring upon them and kill them, but my mind told found it better to wait and kill the disloyal later. Athena soon came to me, she emerged from the darkness in a woman's body. We talked and as she departed, she brought a peaceful sleep down to me. I lay half asleep and woke slightly due to the cries of Penelope and for a moment, there was a glimmer of hope that she knew I had arrived and was standing near me. However, when I awoke fully I knew it had been nothing more than what was left of a dream. I then prayed to Zeus, I prayed for some sign to show me that it was time, and I was to kill the suitors. It came to me in the form of a women, one who worked in the castle. She pleaded that this be the last day that the suitors fed in my hall, and once I heard it I knew I had no choice. In the hustle of the early morning, I came across my dear friend, Eumaios. He was leading his choice swine in for the days meal. We talked and I was soon introduced to Philoitios. He seemed a pleasant men, and greeted me well even in the state I was in. As the three of us talked, an eagle swooped down with a rockdove in its claws, yet another subtle sign that it was time for the massacre. Telemekus seated me by the door and gave me my fair portion of all that was served. This of course caused a bit of discussion among the suitors and it all lead to Telemekus making a fool of himself. I must admit, I felt sorry for the boy, though he was good with his words, some god must have put an evil laugh in the heart of the suitors this morning. They nearly fell off their chairs and the laughter got to the point that tears were streaming down many mens' faces. When the laughing died down and the suitors continued to make rude and ridiculous remarks, Telemekus ignored them and kept his head for the time being. 

Time with Penelope (book 19)

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.

A New Beggar and Time With the Suitors (book 18)

As I sat in the hall near the suitors with my bread and meat, another beggar, a true one, wandered into the hall. He instructed me to leave or we would have ourselves a fight and when I offered him the opportunity to go among the suitors and beg for himself as there was room for the two of us, he harshly replied, "No." A fight it was then and one that the suitors very much enjoyed. It was entertainment like they had never seen before. As the fight began the stakes were set, and set high. The winner would receive the goat bladder of their choice and good supper pudding. The loser and all other beggars would no longer be accepted into the household of Odysseus. After each man swore an oath not to step in for Iros, the fight began and I dropped my cloak revealing my true build. The suitors and Iros were shocked and although he wanted to back down, the suitors egged him on. They called him a wimp if he didn't at least try to fight. You could see the poor man shaking from within, yet he agreed to fight. We got close and he went for the first hit. He knocked my shoulder, but on the rebound, I got him on the side of the face, breaking his jaw and knocking him to the ground. With that, I dragged him outside, the bloody mess that he was. I was congratulated by all the suitors and by bowl was filled with the optimum meal. I then started a conversation with Amphinoms as I tried to give him advice not to return to the manor for when Odysseus returned, none would be spared. He refused my advice and a verbal fight soon broke out between the two of us. My lovely wife, Penelope, soon came down among us and before addressing the suitors, she gave a harsh warning to Telemekus. Before their conversation could get anywhere she was interrupted by an impatient suitor who wanted to know what news she had for them. She then announced that it was time to marry again and that she would take the best man for her husband. Immediatly, the suitors brought her gifts galore. Once the beautiful lady had returned to her chamber with her new gifts, and I was alone among the suitors and Telemekus, we got into a bit of a verbal fight. They soon wished I had never come along, though Telemekus defended me and soon sent them off to their own homes in a druken state.

A visit home (book 17)

As the day began, Telemekus, my dear son, headed home to the manor to see Penelope. He instructed that Eumaios take me to the town to beg, as I had requested. After Telemekus left, Eumaios and I spent much of the day at the house before heading down to town. As we made our way towards Odysseus' palace Melanthios crossed our path, with a string of choice goats for the evening meal. He warned us that if I showed up at Odysseus' home I would get footstools thrown at me by strong men. Although his warning was in the back of my mind, it did not phase me in the least bit for I was determined to return to my old home. As the man departed he kicked me in the hip like a drunken fool though it did not hurt. I contained my anger and kept any thoughts of beating him then and there to myself. We reached the gate much behind the ignorant man and at that point made a plan for entrance. Eumaios was to go in first and I follow shortly afterwards. I did as the plan called for and stepped into the hall shortly following Eumaios' presence. At first, I was shy and kept myself near the door. That is until I received bread and meat from Telemekus along with advice to go among the suitors and beg. Athena then came to me instructing that I go among the suitors to beg and find out which were the decent lads. However, she warned me that none could be spared death. From most I received good crusts and pieces of meat enough to fill my sack, though one was to stubborn to reach out and as his frustration grew in our conversation he hit me on the shoulder with a stool. It left a bruise though I showed no signs of ache. Even other suitors, the more decent of the lot were ashamed by his actions for they feared I was a god inspecting the manors of the island. They're lucky I wasn't for any god would have let them feel their wrath. Eumaios then came to me with news that the queen Penelope wanted to speak to me. Although the offer was great, I feared what the suitors would think if they saw me head towards her chamber so I sent her news that I would come to her after sundown to speak with her.