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Penelope tests Eurycleia by asking her to move her bed to the hallway to see her reaction. Penelope wants to gauge if Eurycleia will uphold her loyalty and not reveal her secret about the suitors. By asking her to move the bed, Penelope is also trying to confirm if Eurycleia can keep her plans confidential.
Penelope tells Eurycleia to move the bed, Odysseus responds by saying that is impossible because he has made the bed around the Olive tree.
1. (XXI.85-) When Penelope sets out the axes and challenges the suitors to archery, knowing only Odysseus will be able to shoot it. 2. (XXIII.197-202) Penelope commands Eurycleia to move the unmovable bed (that Odysseus himself built) so that Odysseus (before Penelope believes it to be him) will have sleeping accomodations. Odysseus then opposes that idea, claiming that the bed cannot be moved, convincing Penelope that it truly is Odysseus. Only Odysseus, Penelope, and Eurycleia know about the bed being unmovable.
In Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey," the secret of Odysseus and Penelope's marriage bed is its immovability. Odysseus constructed their marriage bed around a living olive tree in their home, symbolizing their deep-rooted connection and fidelity. By revealing this secret, Odysseus proves his identity to Penelope, as only he would know this detail.
Penelope's ostensible offer of marriage and her solicitation of gifts constitute a dolos with a double aim: to keep the suitors off guard and to reassure Odysseus of her loyalty, in the well-founded belief that he has today returned in the guise of the stranger.
The secret that reveals Odysseus is that the marriage bed is made from live olive roots. This convinces Penelope.
Penelope asked the beggar (Odysseus in disguise) about their bed, which was made from the trunk of an olive tree and couldn't be moved. Odysseus passed the test by knowing only he and Penelope had this secret, proving his true identity.
Penelope knows that only Odysseus knows that their bed is unmovable because one of the posts is a living tree. She was testing if it was the real Odysseus and not a fake
Penelope tells Anticlea to move her and Odysseus' bed to a guest room, knowing full well that the bed cannot be moved without damaging it severely.
She did nothing. She just tested him with it. He had built the bed around a tree in their bedroom. No one knew about it but them.
Penelope's unwavering loyalty and clever deception play a crucial role in helping Odysseus maintain hope and eventually return home. Her faithfulness despite numerous suitors vying for her hand showcases her commitment and love for Odysseus, serving as a source of motivation for him throughout his long journey back to Ithaca.
Odysseus proves his identity to Penelope by recounting a secret about their bed that only he would know, as it was constructed by him and is immovable. This knowledge convinces Penelope that the man before her is truly her husband, Odysseus, and not an imposter.