Book 23 of The Odyssey By: Natalie Sawicki Olivia Hart Nazli Morel & Kelsey Tyler

Penelope! Odysseus has returned and killed all of the suitors! That’s not possible! An angry God must have killed them all. Odysseus is no longer alive. Please come downstairs and see your husband.

You are not Odysseus but you have killed all of my suitors. We should pretend to get married so that everyone will think that you married a suitor.

Make a separate bed for me because my wife does not believe who I am.

Please move the bed out of the room. No! I carved that bed out of an olive tree myself! It is immovable!

Odysseus! It is you!! Please don’t be angry! It is been hard for me to trust men since my encounter with the suitors.

Penelope! I am so glad we are together again. However, I have one more task to do.

I went to the island of the Lotus Eaters, fought a cyclopes…. I have traveled so far and long to finally be home with you.

I must go visit my father. The word that I have killed the suitors will soon spread. Don’t leave the house or communicate with anyone.

Overview of Book 23 ~ Nurse went to Penelope’s room to inform her of Odysseus’ arrival. ~Penelope does not believe her, but travels downstairs anyway ~ Odysseus tells his family to avoid suspicion because he killed all of the suitors ~Penelope asks nurse to move a bed for “the strange man”. ~Odysseus is outraged and replies that the bed is made out of the trunk of an olive tree; it is immovable. ~ Penelope now knows that it is truly Odysseus ~ Odysseus retells a brief summary of his wanderings ~Says he is going to protect/visit his father, women must stay here for their own safety ~ Says that the news of him killing the suitors will soon spread around town ~ Instructs the women to stay on the top floor and make no contact from the outside world.