Telemachus....he would have strung the bow if his father had not stopped him.
antinous
No, only Telemachus could, but Odysseus indicates that he should not, so that his own prestige is not damaged and he can return unhindered to his throne.
Either Zeus or no one
ulysess
Odysseus is able to string his bow, after all the suitors have tried and failed. Odysseus is also able to win Penelope's heart, kill all the suitors, and have the love and respect of the gods, in particular Athena.
Some were afraid that Odysseus might string the bow. Antinous accuses Odysseus of being drunk and having had too much wine. Eventually Telemachus dissipates their protests by threatening to throw stones at Eumaeus if he does not bring the bow to Odysseus; this causes the suitors to laugh heartily.
Remember that Penelope told her suitors that she will decide whom she will marry when she has finished weaving her gift to Odysseus' father. But one of her suitors found out that she unwove what she did every night. So, Penelope thought of a plan that would stall her decision-making and set up a contest. The contest was that of the man who could string the bow of Odysseus, she would marry. And the bow was known to be toughest to string. And rumors say that only a man as strong as Odysseus can string it. Of course, no one was able to string it except for Odysseus who was disguised as a hermit. And Odysseus killed all Penelope's suitors.
Odysseus strings the bow for several reasons:To win the contest.To prove himself still worthy of Penelope.To prove himself superior to Penelope's suitors, and possibly help intimidate them.To provide himself with a weapon with which to kill the suitors.
Odysseus shot the suitors with his bow and arrows.
Odysseus killed the suitors with the bow that Iphitusonce had given him. He had inherited it from his father Eurytus of Oechalia, who in turn had received it from Apollo. This bow Odysseus, when going to war, would never take with him, but let it lay at home.During the contest to string the bow, the swineherd Eumaeus brings Odysseus his bow, after prompting from Odysseus, then Penelope, then Telemachus.
Telemachus threatens to throws stones at Eumaeus and chase him out into the country if he does not comply. He also laments that he could not evict some of the other suitors who mean mischief. The laughter from the suitors gives Eumaeus enough time to get the bow to Odysseus.
For the suitors to string a bow through twelve loops. Though she only knows that Odysseus can do it.
Not only does he emasculate the suitors by being the only one able to string his bow and shoot the arrow through the axes, he kills every last one.
The suitors were challenged to string Odysseus' bow and then shoot an arrow through 12 axes. None of the suitors are able to accomplish this; the bow of Odysseus had never been strung by anyone besides him. An old man was able to accomplish it; however it was later revealed that the old man was Odysseus in disguise.
Penelope set up a test for the suitors involving Odysseus' bow. She challenged them to string the bow and shoot an arrow through a row of twelve axe heads. Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, was the only one who successfully completed the challenge.
Penelope, Odysseus's' wife, tell the suitors that are courting her that whoever is able to string Odysseus's' bow and arrow and makes the arrow through all twelve axe tops may marry her