make sure his wife has remained faithful to him, to check she still loves him and to assess the situation with all the men who want to marry his wife so he can see how he should proceed.
Odysseus had shown his scar to his faithful servants in order to prove that he (still disguised as the beggar) was truly Odysseus--King of Ithaca. He had to convince the swineherd and cowherd that he was Odysseus to get their aid on the plot against the suitors or in this case a slaughter in the halls. - Book 21 of The Odyssey
One result of Odysseus's initial exchange with Antinous is the revelation of the suitors' arrogance and disrespect towards Odysseus's household. During this encounter, Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, faces mockery, which highlights the suitors' entitlement and lack of hospitality. This confrontation sets the stage for Odysseus's eventual revenge, as it underscores the need to reclaim his home and restore order in Ithaca. Additionally, it establishes the tension between Odysseus and the suitors, foreshadowing the conflict to come.
In Part 2 of "The Odyssey," Odysseus returns to Ithaca after years of wandering and encounters challenges as he reclaims his home. Disguised as a beggar, he assesses the situation with the suitors vying for his wife, Penelope. With the help of his son Telemachus and loyal servants, he devises a plan to confront the suitors, ultimately leading to a dramatic showdown. Themes of loyalty, revenge, and the struggle for identity are prominent as he begins to restore order to his kingdom.
Part 2 of "The Odyssey" focuses on Odysseus's return to Ithaca after twenty years away. Disguised as a beggar to assess the situation at home, he finds his palace overrun by suitors vying for his wife Penelope's hand. With the help of his son Telemachus and the goddess Athena, Odysseus devises a plan to reclaim his home and take revenge on the suitors. The narrative emphasizes themes of loyalty, justice, and the struggle to restore order.
Telemachus and Odysseus met in the hut of Eumaeus, the swineherd, on the island of Ithaca. After years apart, Telemachus returned home from his journey to find his father, who was disguised as a beggar. Their reunion marked a pivotal moment in "The Odyssey," as it set the stage for their collaboration to reclaim their home from the suitors. This encounter highlights themes of identity, family, and the restoration of order.
Penelope tells the beggar (Odysseus in disguise) that at night she unravels a burial shroud she is making intended for Laertes every night in order to keep the would-be suitors at bay until her husband returns .
Athena disguised herself as Deiphobus in order to deceive Hector.
Athena intervened during the contest between Odysseus and the suitors in "The Odyssey." Disguised as a mentor, she aided Odysseus by providing him with guidance and support. When the suitors attempted to court Penelope, she ultimately allowed Odysseus to reclaim his home and restore order by helping him defeat the wooers. As a result, the suitors faced dire consequences for their disrespect and arrogance.
Odysseus repeatedly formulates and executes acts of pretense. In the Iliad, he sneaks into the Troy disguised as a beggar and thought up the idea of the Trojan horse. In the Odyssey, he repeatedly thinks up schemes in order to escape near death experiences, such as covering himself and his men in sheepskin to escape the Cyclops. Odysseus' entire worldview, as evident by his actions, is one of pretense is necessary at times in order to succeed.
Athena transforms him into an old man, and he goes into hiding. When he finds out about the men in his house wishing to marry Penelope (the Suitors), his wife, he and his son make a plan and eventually kill them. Some of the citizens now rise against Odysseus because he killed the Suitors (their family), but Athena intervenes and persuades both sides to give up the fighting.
First, Odysseus told Penelope that he is Odysseus. But Penelope wanted to make sure that it was the real Odysseus and not one of the suitors. So she gave him a challenge. ANd the challenge is: in their master bedroom...there was a bed and all 4 of the legs of the bed looked like a tree stump. And only 1 of the legs were a real tree. ANd only Odysseus and Penelope knew that. SO odyseus answered by saying pretty much that you are crazy and I can move that. SO therefore i is the real Odysseus!!!!
Anne Bonny