Book Twenty One-The Test of the Bow

We were now ready to start the competition. Penelope retrieved my bow, which was given to me by Iphitos, from the storeroom after many years of not being used. She then announces that she will marry the suitor who can string it and then shoot an arrow through a line of twelve axes. Telemakhos then sets up the axes and then tries his own hand at the task, but fails as he attempts to string it. Then suitors warm and grease the bow to make it easier to manage, but one by one they all fail, even Antinoos. HA!, I knew nobody could string it! Meanwhile, I follow Eumaeus and Philoetius outside. I assure myself of their loyalty and reveal my identity to them by showing then the famous scar on my foot that I received many years ago. I promise to treat them as Telemakhos's brothers if they fight on my side against the suitors. They were overjoyed when they found out that I was Odysseus and they agreed with no doubt that they would keep my secret and help me fight the suitors. Then when we returned to the hall, that awful Eurymachus has the bow. He feels disgraced that he cannot string it, because he knows that this failure proves that he is inferior to me. I can't tell you how much I love this feeling! Then, Antinoos suggests that we hold off this competition until the next day, when they can sacrifice to Apollo, the archer god, before trying again. He thinks that this might help the suitors succeed. Still disguised as the beggar, I ask for the bow. Then all of the suitors start to complain, go figure, fearing that I will succeed. Then that awful Antinoos starts to ridicule me, saying that the wine has gone to my head and that I will bring disaster upon myself. How dare he say such crap! Then, Telemakhos takes control and orders Eumaeus to give me the bow. Needless to say, I easily string it and send the first arrow through all twelve axes. Take that Antinoos! This shows that in life, one must act calmly and not overreact when someone starts to pester you.

Book Twenty-Signs and a Vision

That night, Penelope and myself both have trouble sleeping. As I am sleeping outside on the ground, I worry that Telemakhos and I will never be able to fight off the many, dangerous suitors. Then Athena reassures me that through the gods anything is possible. Torn apart by the loss of me as a husband and her commitment to be remarried, Penelope wakes and preys for Artemis to kill her. This made me feel terrible and I didn't know what would happen if I didn't get rid of the suitors quickly. It was only a matter of time until something drastic would happen. This shows that sometimes in life, one must act quickly in order to solve or eliminate their problems. Of course, this distress wakens me, and I ask Zeus for a good omen. He responds with a clap of thunder and all of the sudden a maid in another room starts yelling at the suitors. The next day, the palace springs to life. Telelmakhos and I meet in succession while the suitors are in the hall feasting. Eumaeus, Melanthius and Philoetius meet and Philotius, a kind and loyal herdsman, says that he has not given up hope of Odysseus's return. Then those pitiful suitors entered, once again plotting Telemakhos's murder. Amphinomus convinces them to call off the killing, however a doomsayer appears in the form of an eagle carrying a dove in its feet. While this happens, my good, loyal friend Athena keeps the suitors occupied all throughout dinner to prevent me from loosing my edge. What a clever idea! Then Ctesippus, a wealthy and arrogant suitor, has the nerve to throw a cow hoof at me! Of course he does this because my son threatened to stab him with his sword. Then the suitors laugh and laugh, but they fail to notice that the walls of the room are covered in blood and that their faces have assumed a strange, ghostly look. Theoclymenus interprets this as portents of doom that cannot be escaped from.

Book Nineteen-Recognitions and a Dream

When the suitors retire for the night, Telemakhos and I remove and hide the arms just like we planned. Athena helps us by giving us light so that we could see as we work. My loyal, but curious maid, Eurycleia questions why we are doing this and we tell her that we are storing the arms to keep them from being damaged. After we quickly hide the arms, Telemakhos retires and Penelope joins me, seeking answers about me. Please note that I am still disguised as a beggar and that Penelope has no idea who I am. She knows that I as a beggar have claimed to have met Odysseus, and she tests me honestly by asking me to describe her husband Odysseus. Then, at her wish, I describe myself, capturing each detail so perfectly that Penelope begins to cry. Then, I tell the story of how I met Odysseus and eventually came to Ithaca. In many aspects, this story relates to those that I told to Athena and Eumaeus while out on my journey, even though it is identical to neither. Next, I tell Penelope that Odysseus has had a long battle. but is alive and freely traveling around Also, I predict that Odysseus will be back within a month, which pleases Penelope. Then, as we retire, Penelope offers me a bed to sleep in, but I decline by saying that I am used to the floor. Then, she asks if I would like my feet washed by a maid. I tell her that I will only have an old maid wash my feet who has felt pain and misery, just like I have. As Eurycleia is washing my feet in the bucket of water, she notices a scar on my feet that I received as a child from a boar I was trying to kill. Unfortunately, she immediately recognizes my scar as the one that Odysseus received when I went Boar hunting with my grandfather many years ago. She is overjoyed and beside herself, but I quieted her while my loyal friend Athena kept Penelope distracted so that my secret wouldn't be revealed. The loyal, kind Eurycleia pulled herself together and promised to keep my secret. before she retires, Penelope describes to me a dream that she has had where an Eagle swoops down upon her twenty pet Geese and kills them all. Then, the Eagle sits on the roof and says in a human voice that it is her husband who has just put her lovers to death. What a strange and horrid dream, I thought. Then, Penelope claims that she has no idea what that dream was about. I explain it to her with the best of my knowledge. Then, I hear shocking news. Penelope told me that she is going to choose a new husband anyway. She told me that she will marry the first man who can shoot an arrow through the holes of twelve axes set in a line. This made me feel awful and I knew that if I didn't act fast, the suitors would take over my palace and take by beautiful wife away from me.

Book Eighteen-Patience Instead of Pride

I understand that man is the frailest of all creatures. Yet, he can be resilient and endure by his wits. I have used my quick thinking to get out of ominous situations. It helped me escape from the cave of the Cyclops. While my body may not have the toughness of other creatures, my mind is the strength that helps me articulate and manipulate my way to achieve any purpose.
I no longer underestimate the power of the gods. It is the gods who bring us bliss or miseries. There was a time when I thought that I could count on myself alone without their help. Now I know that no man should taunt them. I am now looking forward to being at peace with the gifts that the gods may give me. For they have given me many.
I thought I needed to venture out to be happy, and now all that seems important is home. By leaving I left my wife at risk to be dishonored and my house to be put in shambles. I lived dangerously when I was younger just as these suitors in front of me. Early in my travels I wanted selfish praise, and I foolishly angered Poseidon by revealing my identity to the Cyclops.
The weakness of my narcissism spurred on my adventures, but put me in great danger. Now I must use patience and endure the treatment I am given disguised as a beggar. I must use my patience and not act because of my pride, and then I will be able to strike at the intruders who are destroying my home. Only then can I achieve my yearning to succeed in reuniting with my home and family.

Book Seventeen-The beggar At the Manor

After reuniting with my son Telemakhos, he left Eumaeus's hut and heads to our palace, where he receives a very happy, tearful welcome home from his mother, Penelope and from the nurse Eurycleia. Then , in the palace he meets two men named Piraeus and Theoclymenus. He tells Piraeus not to bring his gifts from Menelaus to the palace because he fears that those awful suitors will steal them if they kill him. Then, Telemakhos sits down to eat with Penelope and tells her what little news he received from me. He also dosn't reveal that he has seen me in Eumaeus's hut. Then Theoclymenus says that he thinks that I am in Ithaca at the moment. Meanwhile, Eumaeus and I set out toward the town in the steps of Telemakhos. On the way, we encounter a man named Melanthius who is a base subordinate of the suitors. He evokes rage on my friend Eumaeus and ends up kicking me while I am dressed as a beggar. What a ghastly, disgusting fool! After this event, I go to my palace and once again, I am treated like dirt. I beg for food and the suitors give it to me with great reluctance, but one heartless suitor named Antinoos goes out of his way to insult me. This cruel treatment never seems to end! So, I give this man a run for his money and answer insult with insult. However, this donn't go to well for he hits me with a stool which even disgusts the other suitors. Report of this cruelty reaches Penelope, who asks to have the beggar, or myself brought to her so that she can question him about me. However, I don't want the suitors to see me heading toward the queen’s room. Eumaeus then announces that he must return to his hut and hogs, leaving me alone with Telemachus and the suitors.

Book Sixteen-Father and Son

I was sitting in Eumaeus's hut, when suddenly, my long lost son Telemakhos showed up. Eumaeus told him my story and asked Telemakhos if I, who was disquised as a stranger could stay at his palace. Tellemakhos is afraid of what the suitors might do to them, so he says no. Then, Eumaeus goes to the palace and tells Penelope that Telemakhos has returned. Then, the two of us were left in Eumaeus's hut alone. Telemakhos had no idea who I was since I was still disguised as the stranger. Then, Athena came and turned me from a raggedy old man into myself. I couldn't belive the look on my sons face when he saw that the stranger was me. He was very suprised and confused, but I told him how Athena had changed me back. We were beside ourselves. We gave each other gigantic hugs and started crying. We cried for many minutes without end. Then, I recounted my adventures out at sea and my experiences with the Phaecians. Next we began to plot our revenge on the suitors. We then decided that I will go to the palace, dressed as a beggar. While I'm distracting the suitors, Telemakhos will hide all of the armament so that they won't find it. Then, we will get some of the weapons and use them to fight off the suitors. Meanwhile, at the palace, a messenger comes and tells everyone that Telemakhos has returned. This information was supposed to be shared with Penelope only, so the suitors wouldn't get outraged. But obviously, this angered the suitors, because Telemakhos's return meant that their plan hadn't worked. Then, the suitors thought of another plan which was to kill Telemakhos right away. Everyone agreed to this except Amphinomos, who said that he wanted to wait and see what the gods wanted to do. This became their plan. My wife Penelope finds out that the suitors have been plotting her sons death, and rushed to them. She begins to yell at Antinoos, telling him to stop plotting all this, and that he should be thankful, because Odysseus had been so kind to his father, when he needed help. Then, Eurymakhos calms her down, by telling her that he is grateful for Odysseus' kindness, and that he thinks dearly of Telemakhos. My foolish wife believes him, even though it is a lie, as he was the one who plotted and planned the death of Telemakhos. Sometimes in life, one must need to know when to stop believing in ideas or concerns.

Book Twelve-Sea Pearls and Defeat

Finally, I departed from the awful and depressing underworld and traveled to Aeaea to give Elpenor a proper burial. I am embarrassed to say this, but I spent one last night making love to Kirke. She described the obsticles that I would have to face on my journey home and she tod me how to deal with them. When facing the sirens, she tells me to put beeswax in the ears of my crew and to tie me up to the mast of my ship and to keep pulling me tighter to the mast as I beg to them to release me. Once we had past the islands of the sirens, we had to navigate the straits between Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla, the six headed monster, ends up eating one of my men for each head and ends up eating six in all. Even with this horrible tragidy, we still stayed strong and made it past Charybdis, which is a gigantic whirlpool that threatens to swallow whole ships. Next, we come to Thrinacia, the island of the sun. Personally, I thought it would be a good idea to avoid this island, but Eurylochus told me that he and the rest of the crew needed rest and shelter, so I decided to honor their request. I had them promise not to touch any of the cattle or sheep. The crew promised and didn't touch or kill the sheep and lived on the very little food we had left. Then, a terrible storm hit and we were stranded on this island for a month. We were finally running very low on food, and that stupid fool Eurylochus talked to my crew and told them to slaughter some of the animals and use them as a sacrifice. This irritated me because Kirke told us not to do this because it would anger the gods. He said that dying of starvation was pathetic, so the crew agreed to help him. Also, they chose to do this while I was asleep. Figures that they make bad decisions without me. When Helios found out that my men killed the animals he was not too pleased, and asked Zeus to punish us. Zeus, of course, agrees and stirs up a huge storm while we are sailing away. The storm killed all of my crew and destroyed my ship. Leaving only myself, I ended up back on Ogygia or Kalypso's island. I ended my story hear because the Phaeacians already heard about that production. In life, this shows that if one refuses to follow strong orders, there will be severe consequences.

Book Eleven- A Gathering of Shades

Once again we went out to sea and arrived at our next destination, where Kirke had told us to sacrifice the lamb and ewe. I followed this order and then the dead spirits appeared to me. The first person I encountered was Elepenor, the young man who had fallen off Kirke's roof and died because of a broken neck. After talking with him for some time, he told me that all he wants is for me to take him back to Kirke's island and give him a proper burial. I told him that I would honor this request because I owed it to him. Then I was surprised to see my mother among the spirits. I imediatly tried to talk to her, but I was unable to until I talked to Teiresias. When I was talking to him, he told me that Poseidon was the one punishing us because we blinded Polyphemos. This shows that it's not a smart idea to anger the gods. He also told me not to touch anything in Thrinakia, or else my crew will die and I will lose my ship, though I will survive. He also warned me that when I get home to Ithica, I will find my house filled with many abnoxious suitors, but that I will still triumph over them. Then, I will have to go to find Posiedon, and apologize that I angered him. I hope that he will accept my apologies. Finally our conversation was over and i was allowed to speak to my mother. I asked her about Ithica, Penelope, and my son, Telemakhos. She told me that Penelope is lonly and depressed and that Telemakhos is all right. I long for my family everyday and hope that someday, everything will be back to normal and I will be reunited with them again. I then asked her how she had passed away. She told me she died of loneliness and grief, waiting for me to return home. This filled me with tears and sorrow, and I tried to hug her but I couldn't because she was just a soul. This hurt me, but I was unable to do anything about it. Then, I became tired and exhausted and stopped telling this story to the Phaiakians. They encouraged me to continue and wanted to know if I met anyone who died in the war. So I continued. Then, I met Agamemnon, who told me how he was murdered by him wife, Klytaimnestra, who was having an affair with Aigisthos. He advised me not to trust women, which I can't blame him after what had happened. I also talked to Achilles, who told me horrible it was to be dead.I saw many others too, Minos, Orion, Tityos, Tantalos, Sisyphos, and Hercules. Both Tantalos and Sisyphos were being tortured in one way or another. Finally, as I was leaving, massive amounts of dead souls were chasing after me, wnating to know about life outside this place. Frightened by this, I ran to my ship and told my crew to ready it quickly. We then left the island as fast as we could.

Book Ten- The Grace of the Witch

Still in front of Alkinoos and his advisors, I started telling them about my adventures in Aeolia. While we were sailing home from the land of the Cyclopes, Aiolos presents me with a bag of all the winds and stirs up a westerly wind to steer us home. After ten days, we are in sight of Ithica, but my nosy shipmates, who think Aiolos has secertly given me a stash of gold and silver, tear the bag open. The winds then escape and create a huge storm that sends us all the way back to Aiolia. How dreadful! As I was questioned by Aiolos as to why I had returned, I had to tell him that there was mischief aboard my ship. Unfortunately, he refused and now believed the gods detested me and that my voyage was cursed by heaven. Without any wind, we rowed to the land of Laistrygonians of Lamos. When we got there, my scouts were eaten by Antiphates and his wife. Shocked at watching this slaughter, I cut the cable of our anchor to leave. I encouraged my men to keep on rowing to get their minds off of the horror they had just experience and to put it behind them. We rowed furiously to escape the boulders being thrown at us by the giant Laistrygonians. Alas, only my ship with some of my men escaped. Will this journey never end! Our next arrival was on Aeaea, home of the goddess Kirke. My men had to endure yet more consternation at the hands of Kirke. Little did they know that the wine of her hospitality would contain drugs that would turn them into pigs. As I went to rescue my men, a young man approached me and told me to eat an herb called molu that would protect me from Kirke's drug. I drew my sword, and I gained Kirke's respect when I did not succumb to her spell. I demanded to see my men and Kirke relented and changed them back to men even more handsome than before. My men were so excited to see me, as if I was their home. I became her lover and that allowed my crew and to live in luxury for the next year. My men wanted to go home and induced me to continue my voyage. I asked Kirke for help to get to Ithaca. Her directions felt ominous. She told us that we had to sail to Hades to speak with the spirit of the blind prophet, Teiresias. He will be the one to tell us how to get home. I had to wake up the men and let them know of our future misfortune of having to travel to Hades. I knew they would dispair. On top of what was to come they had witnessed the death of Elpenor, yet another crew member who fell from drink and broke his neck. Whatever calamities we encounter in life, one must continue to move forward.

Book Nine-New Coasts and Polyphemus

Still in the presence of Alkinoos and his advisors, I began to give them information about myself and how I arrived on their land and why I was there. Then, I started talking to the group about the tale of my wanderings. First I told them of my journey to Ismarus which is the city of the Cicones. We became carried away by greed, and the Cicones turned and attacked us. We finally escaped, but we lost six men per ship. How depressed this made us feel! Then, Zeus sent a storm and we sailed for nine days before we arrived on the land of the Lotus- eaters. Here, the natives gave us the intoxicating fruit of the Lotus. This fruit made my men lose the thought of home and long for nothing more than the fruit that they were eating. I had to literally drag my men back to the ship and lock them up, so that we could leave the island. Then, we sailed to the land of the Cyclopes, which is a very rough and dangerous place. We then wandered into a cave filled with fine delicious cheeses, crates of milk and herds of sheep. We decided to linger in the cave and not to take the food and return to the ship. The cave's inhabitant soon returned. He was the Cyclops Polyphemus and the son of Posiedon. First, he was very warm and inviting, but then he turned hostile and devoured two members of my crew! To make matters worse, he then imprisoned us to keep for future meals. At first, I wanted to stab and kill him in his sleep, but then I believed that he was the only one who could move open the massive rock to the outside world. I then devised a plan. When Polyphemus was outside of the cave pasturing his sheep, I found a wooden staff and hardened it in the fire. When Polyphemus returned, I got him drunk on the wine from the ship, and when asked my name, I told him my name was "nobody". When he collapsed from becoming drunk, my men and I drove the newly crafted spear into his eye. What a ghastly sight! Then when Polyphemus woke up, he called to his neighbors and said " nobody's killing him", so the neighbors thought he was all right and go back to their caves. The next morning, we escaped from the cave by clinging to the bellies of the monster's sheep as they go out to graze. Then on the ship sailing away, I called back to the giant and told him my real name. In anger, he prayed to his father, Posiedon, calling for a retaliation on Odysseus. Survival requires resourcefulness, creativity, determination and always the element of luck.

Book Eight-The Songs of Harper

I arrived on the island of the Phaiakians some time ago. I have not seen or heard anything from Telemakhos or my wife Penelope. I hope that they're okay, and that we will see each other soon or in the near future. Anyway, when I first arrived on the island, Athena went throughout the town disquised as the king Alkinoos and told the townspeople to come to the assembly to learn about me. At the assembly, Alkinoos proposes to provide a ship for me, so that I can return to my homeland. This action is approved by the Phaiakians, and the ship is immediately set up for me. Then Alkinoos invites the counselors and me to come to his palace for a feast and celebration of games in honor of me. What a kind and gracious gentleman he is. Then, a poet, Demodocus, sings of a fight between Achilles and me at Troy during the war. Everyone was enthused with the song except me. I'm very embarrassed to say this, but I started to weep because of the painful memories that the song recalls. The king notices my grief and ends the feast so that the games can begin. The games included boxing, wrestling, racing and the throwing of the discus. I am asked to participate, but I decline the offer because of the many hardships I have endured. Then Seareach, one of the athletes, insults me by saying that I must be terrible at sport, and that I am just a peasant looking for gold. This made me angry, so I decided to play and show him what I could do. I was thrilled when I won the discus throwing competition, and then I offered anyone to challenge me to any sport. I think I acted a bit too cocky. Alkinoos did not like the idea and decided to have another feast. Tonight, the singer was singing about Aphrodite cheating on Hephaestus with Ares. This story had a good moral that nobody is perfect. Thank goodness I didn't cry this time. Then all of the men gave me exquisite gifts for my trip home. How considerate of them. Then, the singer sang about the Trojan Horse, but I didn't think that would upset me! After the singer stopped singing, Alkinoos started asking me all sorts of questions such as where I am from, what ismy name,h and where am I going. I can't believe that I didn't give Alkinoos information about myself. If one accepts the challenge to be the best he can be, he will succeed.

Book five- Freedom from Calypso

Finally, after Athena and Zeus's willingness to help me, I was able to leave this dreadful island and get away from Calypso. She drove me insane! It's been years since I've left Ogygia, and I started to believe that it would be many more years until I was found or allowed to leave. I must pray to Athena and Zeus on how grateful I was, when they sent Hermes down from Mount Olympus to talk to Calypso and allow me to leave. Calypso tried to argue with Hermes, but no one can dismiss Zeus' orders, because he is the most powerful god on Olympus. So I had to make a boat with Calypso's help to set sail. She looked really depressed and maybe even heartbroken. So I left the island,and while I was at sea, Poseidon realized that I was there and became furious. He then created a huge storm, and I thought I was going to drown. For days I was struggling to stay alive out at sea with no food or water and no one to rescue me. I thought I was going to die. Finally, the goddess Ino sees me and wants to help me. She told me to get rid of my cloak, let go of my boat, and swim to shore. She also gave me her veil, which would keep me from getting hurt or drowning. Then, when I got back to shore, I would throw the veil back to sea. Also, while I was swimming, Athena helped me by calming down the winds and making them stop. Finally, I made it to land. The storm was fierce, and there were many times when I thought I would die. I am very exhausted, but now I am home. I will get to see my family for the first time in many years, and I will be home. I then began to sleep with ease after the long, but worthwhile journey. If one believes that all things will turn out well in the long run, most likely they will.

Book Four- The Visit to Lakedomia

It's been an eternity since I have been off this island. Calypso is becoming quite irritating, and I miss my son, my wife and my estate. I see that Telemakhos, Mentes and Nestor's son visited Menelaos in Lakedomia to try to find out more information about me. Helen and Hermione were also there. I was very pleased with what Menelaos told my son about me, and how I was very courageous and noble, and how I never gave up. Also, I was very delighted when Helen comforted my son, when he became emotional after learning about my life at war. That was very nice of her. She also told him the very unfortunate story of how I was beaten and treated like a slave. Those were very rough, depressing days that I will never forget. She also told my son how I dressed as a beggar to infiltrate the walls of Troy. Helen found and treated me well, when I was disguised as a beggar, but promised not to tell anyone that I was hiding among the townspeople. Helen will always be a great, noble friend in my heart. Telemakhos told Menelaos about the suitors, and he was outraged. All my son knows is that I am on a deserted island with Calypso, and that I miss my family. Back at my estate, I see that the suitors want to know where my son is. They swear that they saw Mentes sail with my son five days ago, but they also think that they just saw him recently. This could mean that someone is watching over my son. Despite this, I am deeply worried and frustrated at the same time. If those disgusting fools lay one hand on my son and my wife, they will pay the price of my vindictiveness. Unfortunately, I cannot do anything to help my family, and I pray that they will be safe and get through all of this. If someone wants to live a harmonious and peaceful life with his loved ones, one should always be wary of those people and things that threaten that existence.

Book Three- The Visit to Pylos

Once again, I am still stuck on this dreadful island with Calypso. It has been really boring and uninteresting. On Pylos though, many kilometers away, there are a lot of important actions going on. Telemakhos, my son, is there looking for any news on me. He is talking to Nestor, my old friend. It’s been many years since I have seen him. The people of Pylos are very nice to my son, and I am pleased that they have taken him in and invited him to all of their festivities. Nestor told him all that he knew of me, and how I stayed and fought with Agamemnon when he turned around and fled. Overall. He knows very little about my positions ,so after treating my son like royalty, he tells him to visit another friend Menelaus.

I think Nestor is a friendly and encouraging person, but I was disappointed that he knew nothing of me or how I was. I could also tell that Telemahkos felt disappointed about the lack of knowledge that Nestor had about me. I am very enthused that Nestor told my son to go see Menelaus, since he knows me very well and should have information for my son. My expectations for my son Telemakhos are to attain the wisdom and the strength to become equal to great achievers of our land. When one learns the ways of life from great teachers, he will become empowered with the wisdom and strength of our Historic leaders and gods.