The Odyssey: Part Two

The Homecoming of Odysseus As Odysseus [oh-DIS-see-uhs] was struggling against many dangers to get back to Ithaca, his son, Telemachus [teh-L !-uh-kuhs], set out to "ind news o" him# $e tra%eled to S&arta, where king !enelaus [men-eh-LA'uhs] told him he had herd that Odysseus was a lonely &risoner o" the nym&h, (aly&so [ka-LI)-soh]# Saddened by this news, Telemachus began his own *ourney back to Ithaca# !eanwhile, +ing Alcinous [al-SI,-oo-uhs], true to his word, sent Odysseus back to Ithaca in one o" the )haecian shi&s# -hen they reached the shore o" his nati%e land, the crew laid him, slee&ing on the beach and le"t him# -hen he awoke, Athena a&&eared to him# She told him that he was home at last, and then e.&lained the dangerous situation at his house# $is wi"e/s suitors were eating them out o" house and home# The bully o" the suitors, Antinous [an-TI,-oo-uhs], had "ound our that )enelo&e [&en- L-oh-&ee] had tricked them with the ne%er-"inished shroud, so now )enelo&e had no more e.cuses0 she would be "orced to choose a new husband# I" any in sent o" the suitors recogni1e him, Odysseus/s li"e would be danger# So Athena disguised him as an old beggar and him to stay with umaeus [you-!A'-uhs], the swineherd, until he could "ormulate a &lan "or dealing with the %ile suitors# In a "ew days, Telemachus returned, and Athena [uhT$ ,-uh], "or a time, restored his "ather to his usual "orm so that the son would recogni1e him# A"ter the *oy"ul reunion, Odysseus and Telemachus together began to lay &lans "or gi%ing the suitors what they deser%ed# They decided not to let )enelo&e know that Odysseus had returned -she had almost gi%en u& ho&e that her dear husband would e%er come home again# Once their &lans were made, the men wasted no time in &utting them into action# Telemachus went ahead to the &alace to &re&are the way, and his "ather, disguised as an old man, "ollowed with umaeus# ,ear the door o" the outer court lay an old dog, Argus [A2-guhs], whom Odysseus had raised as a &u& years ago# Odysseus had le"t "or Troy be"ore the dog was "ully grown# ,ow, as Odysseus drew near, the old dog knew him and "eebly wagged his tail# Looking his last u&on his lo%ing master, he dro&&ed his head and died# 3aith"ul Argus had waited "or his master twenty years# 4reeted at the door by Telemachus, they entered the hall# Odysseus, a beggar in his own house, had to endure many humiliations# A "ew o" the suitors were kind and ga%e the old man bread, but most were indi""erent# Antinous, the bully, contem&tuously threw a "ootstool at the beggar, striking his shoulder# 5n"aith"ul ser%ants, their disci&line gone la. o%er the years, insulted him# This lack o" courtesy and res&ect "or a su&&liant guest %iolated one o" the basic rules o" ancient 4reek li"e, but the "ated a%enger &ut u& with it "or a time# As the days &assed, )enelo&e, who ne%er dreamed her husband was home, reluctantly decided that Odysseus was surely dead and she had no alternati%e but to choose another husband# She sent word that, to "inally settle the matter, she would gi%e hersel" to whoe%er could bend the great bow o" Odysseus# Odysseus, disguised in rags, claimed the right to try too, though the suitors laughed and *eered# umaeus &laced the bow in Odysseus/s hands# Then he went to the housekee&er, old urycleia [yoo-ree-+L -uh], and told her to shut all the inner

doors and kee& the women and ser%ants inside, whate%er ha&&ened# A loyal o.-herd, )hiloitios [&hil-O'-teeohs], whom Odysseus had taken into his con"idence, went "orth and barred the outer gates, tying them with ro&es# $e then came back and stood by# To "ight the suitors -and there were many o" them -were *ust "our men6 Odysseus, Telemachus, umaeus, and )hiloitios#

As Athena restored him to his usual "orm, Odysseus bent the bow easily and twanged the bowstring# The sound was like a challenge to arms0 the suitors grew &ale# 3rom the sky burst a thunder&eal, the 7drum7 o" 8eus [8OOS]# The $igh 4od was weighing all in the balance# Odysseus notched an arrow to the bow and drew the string back to his shoulder# The arrow "lew straight to the mark, through the holes o" twel%e a.es, one behind the other, and into the wall behind# The suitors were ama1ed and a"raid, but they had no warning o" what was to come# They tried to go on with the "east, but Odysseus let "ly with the bow and arrows and killed the suitors# It was not a "ight, but a massacre# 'et the slaughter o" the suitors was not undeser%ed# They had been wasting the substance o" that household "or years, they had harassed and insulted the lady o" that house and her son, and they had broken hea%en/s laws designed to &rotect the &oor, the weak, and the stranger# Odysseus had a &ersonal "eud with these men, but he was also an agent o" Di%ine 9ustice# -hen the terrible "ight was o%er, Odysseus made himsel" known to his wi"e# At "irst )enelo&e could not belie%e it was truly Odysseus standing be"ore her# A"ter twenty years, "aith"ul, long-su""ering wi"e that she was, she demanded &roo"# Odysseus told her how he had built their bed out o" a li%ing oli%e tree in the courtyard and build u& their bedroom around that tree# Only the two o" them knew this# Then )enelo&e belie%ed and ran to embrace and kiss him# They held each other closely and we&t with *oy# That night, their good angel, Athena, held back the dawn and the $orses o" the Sun to make longer their "irst night o" reunion and ha&&iness#