Sarah Lloyd and McKayla Bohnsack Period 7 Ms. Rubano The Odyssey: Book XVII

Major Characters Odysseus: returns home to Ithaca in disguise as a beggar with Telemachus’s help Telemachus: returns to his house after meeting Odysseus to be greeted by his mother and nurse Penelope: weeps when her son returns Antinous: assaults Odysseus (whom he believes to be a beggar) with a stool Eumaeus: kindly houses Odysseus upon his return to Ithaca

Setting Book XVII takes place entirely in Ithaca, with much of the action near the home of Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus.

What Happened? Odysseus is to be kept briefly at the house of Eumaeus, while Telemachus returns to his house. Penelope and Eurekleia weep at his return, and Telemachus asks that his gifts from Sparta be hidden from the suitors, because how would he react upon losing his gifts?

WHAT HAPPENED? Also at the feast: Telemachus mentions to Penelope that he’s heard Odysseus is alive and with Calypso. He doesn’t reveal that Odysseus is actually in Ithaca. Theoclymenus prophesies that Odysseus is actually alive, well, and in Ithaca at the moment. Meanwhile, Odysseus and Eumaeus run into Melanthius, who proceeds to mock Odysseus in the belief that he’s no more than a beggar. Odysseus prays that Melanthius will get what he deserves, rationalizing that:

WHAT HAPPENED? When Odysseus and Eumaeus arrive at Odysseus’s house, the former recognizes his old dog, Argos. Apparently, everyone abuses the once-strong Argos, who dies happy after seeing his master again. How did we feel?

WHAT HAPPENED? Telemachus pretends not to know Odysseus once more so that his father can beg for food. This lets Odysseus realize who among the suitors has been kinder, and who’s been a terrible houseguest. Soon enough, Melanthius recognizes the newest guest and announces:

WHAT HAPPENED? Antinous hurls insults at Odysseus until the fake beggar can’t take it. As soon as Odysseus hurls an insult of his own, Antinous hits him with a stool! All of the suitors agree:

WHAT HAPPENED? Finally, Penelope asks to speak to the mysterious beggar. Odysseus takes precaution and agrees to meet her, but only later in the night to avoid suspicion from the beggars.

IMPORTANT LITERARY DEVICES Lines 1-2: “When the young Dawn came bright into the East spreading her finger-tips of rose,…” Lines 45-46: “Penelope the Wise, tall in her beauty as Artemis or pale-gold Aphrodite,…”

Hand-out answers False. He is at Eumaeus’s house. D. Ithaca. B. a beggar. True. A. cries. Personification. Simile.