Eurycleia recognises Odysseus (Book 19)

destinations: Ithaca

After Telemachus, Athena (in disguise), and Odysseus (disguised as beggar) hide away the weapons. Melantho insults Odysseus, Odysseus warns her that she shouldn’t do that. Penelope overhears their conversation and tells Melantho off. Penelope calls for a chair for Odysseus to sit on and to chat. Penelope asks who he is, Odysseus says he will cry if he talks about it. Penelope tells Odysseus of the trouble the suitors have caused. To avoid her remarriage for 4 years she would weave a burial shroud for Laertes (Odysseus dad), and then undo her work in the night, she gets caught by her disloyal maids. Penelope again asks where Odysseus is from. Odysseus says that he is from Cnossus (city in crete) and a descendant of King Minos, he says his name is “Aethon”. “Aethon” says he met Odysseus, Penelope cries after hearing this. She tests him by asking what Odysseus looked like. He talks about the clothes he wore like a gold brooch and a purple cloak, Odysseus comforts Penelope by saying that Odysseus is alive and close and he will be back very soon. Penelope provides xenia for Odysseus, but Odysseus only wants an old maid to wash his feet. Penelope gets Eurycleia (Odysseus’ old nurse) to wash his feet. Odysseus is worried Eurycleia will recognise him from a scar on his foot. He got the scar from hunting a boar with Autolycus’ sons on Mount Parnassus. The boar tusk wounded his foot. Eurycleia recognises him and tries to tell Penelope but she’s distracted by Athena. Odysseus grabs her by the neck and threatens to kill her if she tells anyone. Eurycleia understands and even offers to tell him which maids are disloyal.Penelope comes to talk to Odysseus again and tells him she’s considering marrying a suitor because Telemachus is grown up and the suitors are damaging the estate and Odysseus’ wealth.Penelope then tells Odysseus of her weird dream where a flock of birds (suitors) are killed by an eagle (Odysseus). Penelope then decides that she will have a competition for the suitors to win her hand in marriage. They must tie Odysseus’ bow and shoot through 12 axes.