The Odyssey Books 21-23

What happens in Book XXI?

• Odysseus returns home with the help of King Alcinous

• Athena warns him that there are over 100 suitors in his palace for Penelope, and disguises him as an old beggar

• As he enters the palace, he sees that the strongest, rudest, and most demanding suitors are Antinous and Eurymachus

• Odysseus reunites with Telemachus, and they plan to avenge their family honor by Odysseus winning back Penelope

• In the meantime, Penelope has given up hope for Odysseus’s return, but still loves him and isn’t over him, and announces that she will hold an archery contest to determine her husband

• the two skills needed to win are one must be able to string the bow, and shoot the arrow through 12 ax blades

• She lets the suitor use the bow that Odysseus left behind

• Odysseus finds two of his old loyal servants, Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, and asks them to help him, they are so happy to see him return, and are eager to help

• When the beggar asks to participate in the contest, the suitors are scared he might win, and annoyed that he would participate

• Penelope scolds them for their lack of xenia, tells them to give him a chance

• Odysseus wins, and Zeus sends a thunderbolt down, showing that the gods are on his side

• The suitors make snide remarks, not showing xenia

What happened in Book XXII?

• Odysseus won the competition as a beggar, and killed Antinous

• the suitors are very upset with him, since he “killed the best on Ithaca”

• Little do they know, the old beggar is Odysseus, who is the best man on Ithaca, showing irony

• He reveals himself, and they are all shocked and terrified

• Odysseus tells them he is going to kill them all for stealing his food and supplies, desiring his wife, and using his maids for their pleasures

• Eurymachus tries to save himself and the suitors by bribing Odysseus and blaming everything on Antious

• However, Odysseus will have none of it, and has no mercy when murdering them all with the help of Athena because he seeks a strong thirst for revenge, and that’s just his personality as an epic hero

• Athena helps him by blocking off the arrows with her invisible shield, then makes it visible to let them know that the gods are on his side

What happens in Book XXIII?

• Athena changes Odysseus looks to make him more presentable

• He presents himself to Penelope, but she is distant and aloof

• She explains how she is skeptical of him, tells her maid to move his bed outside of their room

• he asks her how this is possible, how someone was able to move the bed that he built into an olive tree

• this is a secret that only he and her know, she realizes it’s actually him and hugs him, says she’s so sorry

• they are finally at peace and are together again

How does Athena help Odysseus? 

Athena helps Odysseus by:

• using her powers to make him more attractive: taller; larger; clean, defined hair; and more handsome

• She does this so Penelope will be even happier to see him

What is Penelope’s reaction to Odysseus? Why do you think she reacts this way?

• she is skeptical and unwilling to accept that he is who he says he is

• she reacts this way because a strange man has just claimed to be her long-lost husband of 20 years, after killing over 100 men in her banquet hall

• he doesn’t look like what he did when he left

How is Penelope clever in her response to Odysseus concerning his bed?

• by asking her servant to move it

• she is testing to see if the strange man is really Odysseus, since only they know that his bed is attached to an olive tree, and therefore unmovable

• Odysseus built the bed

What reasons does Penelope give Odysseus for why she is so cautious when interacting with Odysseus?

• imposters may have tried to come, pretending to be him

• she didn’t want to commit adultery

Greek beliefs/ideals, The Odyssey represents

• Always treat others with xenia

• A man should be able to give credit to the gods/goddesses for their support.

• Do not anger the gods by thinking you can do it all by yourself (hubris); give them their due credit.

• Without the gods, man is nothing.

• a good leader cares for his men as friends, and does not leave them behind

• what goes around, comes around; karma

• true love will always be mourned when lost

• family is the most important thing