The Odyssey Book Summaries

Summary of Book Twenty Penelope cries over Odysseus and prays for death to end her suffering. She dreams that Odysseus returns but doesn’t believe this omen. Odysseus tries to sleep on the floor outside Penelope’s room but is too anxious about tomorrow’s battle. Athena tells him to have faith. He asks Zeus for a sign, and Zeus sends a thunderclap through a perfectly clear sky. Odysseus feels better. A maid hears the thunderclap and prays to Zeus that the greedy suitors die. (This is different from the other maids, some of whom spent the night sleeping with the suitors.) Telemachus checks up on Odysseus and orders the maids to prepare a feast, declaring that day a holiday.

Summary of Book Twenty Melanthos insults Odysseus (in vagabond disguise) yet again. A cowherd, Philoetius, greets the vagabond and tells him he looks like Odysseus. He is upset about the suitors’ behavior in his lord’s house. The vagabond asks Philoetius and Eumaeus (the swineherd) to fight on Odysseus’s side against the suitors should he return to Ithaca. They eagerly agree.

Summary of Book Twenty The suitors hear breakfast being set, drop their plans to kill Telemachus, and focus on eating (what else?). Telemachus seats the vagabond across from him and challenges anyone to insult him. No one really does, but then Athena influences the suitors to taunt him. One suitor, Ktesippos, throws a cow’s foot at Odysseus, who ducks. Telemachus rushes to his defense.

Summary of Book Twenty Another suitor, Agelaus, changes the topic to who’s going to get Penelope. He tells Telemachus to persuade Penelope to get over Odysseus since he’s never coming back. Telemachus refuses, and the suitors break out in laughter. Theoklymenos, a prophetic fugitive whom Telemachos brought with him from Pylos, shares his vision of the hall filled with blood. The suitors laugh, but Telemachus knows the vision will come true soon.