Book Twenty: Portents Gather

Odysseus plots, and he hears the maids leaving the suitors. Odysseus decides he will kill all of the women for sleeping with the suitors, yet in some quotes he blames the suitors for dragging the maids to their chambers. It seems weird that they would use that as a reason why the suitors are in the wrong, yet since it appears to be the maids' choice, it incriminates them as well. It was weird how after Athena visits him, Odysseus still has his doubts about beating the suitors after hearing Penelope wish for her own death. Zeus made it thunder and a maid complain about the suitors. The next day there is a feast for Apollo, and Eumaeus and Odysseus talk to each other. Melanthius still uses what little superiority he has to make fun of Odysseus and Philoetius the cowherd wishes that Odysseus was back. Again, Odysseus assures that Odysseus will return to kill the suitors. Again, the bird omens present themselves when an eagle flew past holding a dove and Amphinomus told everyone to stop plotting and to feast. Athena is extremely irritating in that she wants to make Odysseus suffer and be angry by making sure that they continue to insult Odysseus, and Ctesippus threw an ox hoof at Odysseus. Telemachus ends up promising that he will not delay the marriage of Penelope, and all of a sudden the suitors begin to laugh uncontrollably. Blood comes from the meat and drips down the walls. Ghosts and mist surround the palace and Theoclymenus points out that none of the suitors will escape Odysseus' wrath. That scene is completely terrifying. How someone would come up with that as a warning is disgusting. Since its supposedly caused by the gods, yet the gods care for people and such, why would they come up with such a disgusting and unearthly way to express their displeasure.