Quiz Odysseus #21-24

Melantho

Melantho is a disloyal maid in The Odyssey. She is one of Penelope’s servants but betrays her by mocking Odysseus (disguised as a beggar) and having an affair with the suitor Eurymachus. For her betrayal, Odysseus has her hanged along with the other disloyal maidservants after the suitors are killed.

Antinous

Antinous is the leader of the suitors and the most arrogant of them all in The Odyssey.

He is rude, disrespectful, and plots to kill Telemachus to secure his position.

Antinous is the first suitor killed by Odysseus during the slaughter, shot in the throat while drinking wine. His death marks the beginning of Odysseus' revenge.

Eurycleia

Eurycleia is Odysseus’ loyal and caring nurse in The Odyssey.

She recognizes Odysseus while washing his feet by a scar on his leg but keeps his identity a secret as he plans his revenge.

Eurycleia also helps by pointing out the disloyal maidservants and later informs Penelope of Odysseus’ return. She represents loyalty and devotion to the family.

Phimeus

Phemius (also spelled Phimeus) is the bard or singer in The Odyssey.

He is forced to entertain the suitors in Odysseus’ palace but remains loyal to Odysseus and his household.

During the slaughter of the suitors in Book 22, Phemius begs for his life, claiming he was unwillingly involved. Telemachus defends him, and Odysseus spares him, showing mercy.

Melanthius

Melanthius is the disloyal goatherd in The Odyssey. He sides with the suitors, insults Odysseus (disguised as a beggar), and even tries to arm the suitors during the battle in the hall.

After Odysseus defeats the suitors, Melanthius is captured, tortured, and killed as punishment for his betrayal. He represents treachery and disloyalty.

Halitherses

Halitherses is an Ithacan elder and seer in The Odyssey. He is loyal to Odysseus and interprets omens from the gods, often warning the suitors of their doom.

For example, in Book 2, he predicts Odysseus’ return after seeing two eagles fighting in the sky. Halitherses also supports Odysseus during the conflict with the suitors’ families in Book 24. He represents wisdom and divine insight.

Amphiminous

Amphinomus is one of the suitors in The Odyssey, but he is portrayed as more decent and thoughtful than the others. Despite this, he still participates in the suitors' wrongdoings and remains in Odysseus' palace.

Odysseus warns him to leave before the slaughter, but Amphinomus stays, bound by fate. During the battle in Book 22, Telemachus kills him with a spear.

Amphinomus represents a mix of good intentions and poor choices, ultimately facing the same fate as the other suitors.

Laertes

Laertes is the father of Odysseus in The Odyssey. He is an elderly man who has been living in sorrow and isolation on his farm, mourning Odysseus' long absence.

In Book 24, Odysseus visits him after defeating the suitors and proves his identity by recalling childhood memories. This joyful reunion restores Laertes’ strength and spirit.

Later, Laertes helps Odysseus in the final conflict with the suitors' families, killing Eupeithes, the father of Antinous. Laertes symbolizes familial love and the healing power of reunion.

Leodes

Leodes is one of the suitors in The Odyssey, though he is distinct from the others because he serves as their priest or soothsayer. Unlike most suitors, he openly criticizes their reckless behavior and does not support their disrespectful treatment of Odysseus’ household. However, he still participates in the competition for Penelope’s hand.

After the slaughter of the suitors in Book 22, Leodes begs Odysseus for mercy, claiming he is innocent and had no part in their crimes. Odysseus, however, does not believe him and kills him by beheading, seeing him as complicit in the suitors' misdeeds.

Leodes represents a gray area between guilt and innocence, showing that passivity or silence in the face of wrongdoing can lead to punishment.

the bow test

the great rooted bed / penelope's test

The great rooted bed test in The Odyssey demonstrates Penelope's intelligence and caution in confirming Odysseus' identity.

After his return, she orders their marriage bed to be moved, knowing it is impossible because Odysseus built it around a living olive tree rooted in their home.

When Odysseus passionately explains this secret detail, known only to them, Penelope is finally convinced it is truly her husband. The test symbolizes their deep bond, loyalty, and trust, as well as Penelope's cleverness in ensuring the stranger is not an imposter.

Odysseus' last task

Odysseus must travel inland, carrying an oar, to a place so far from the sea that the people there do not recognize the oar and mistake it for a winnowing fan (a farming tool). When he reaches this place, he must plant the oar in the ground and make a sacrifice to Poseidon—a ram, a bull, and a boar. After this, he will be forgiven by the god and can live out the rest of his life in peace.

types of recognitions

• Emotional

• Strategic

bow and lyre

He is both a warrior and a great story teller.

reclamation

Upon his return to Ithaca, Odysseus must reclaim his role as king, husband, and father. This process unfolds through several key moments: defeating the suitors who have overrun his home, proving his identity to Penelope through the secret of the great rooted bed, and reuniting with his father, Laertes. His reclamation is not just physical but symbolic, as it restores order, justice, and harmony to Ithaca after years of chaos. This theme underscores Odysseus' journey as not only a return but also a restoration of his rightful place in both his household and society.