Book Twenty Three: The Great Rooted Bed

I felt like this was a very emotional book, but very little actually happened in it. Eurycleia tells Penelope that Odysseus has returned and even after sseing Odysseus, Penelope thinks that he can not really be Odysseus. Odysseus bathes and Athena makes him more attractive and magnificent. Penelope then tests him by telling Eurycleia to move the bed, to which Odysseus gets angry asking if the bed was cut down since it was made from a living tree. Penelope realizes it really is him since only the two of them and one maid have ssen the bed. Athena holds back the night as the couple talk about their past and Odysseus' last quest. Telemchus and Odysseus leave to raid and see his father.
I found it interesting how Odysseus tells the bard and the servants to dance and play music, so it seems like Penelope got married. After violently murdering one hundred some people, it would have been the last thing on my mind especially with truly seeing his wife for the first time in twenty years.

Book Twenty Two: Slaughter in the Hall

The very title of this book leaves little to the imagination. Slaughter= killing in the hall= in the palace. Finally, Odysseus kicks some suitor butt. How things play out:

1. shoots Antinous in the throat
2. many of the suitors think that Antinous killed by chance, but Odysseus then reveals himself saying that they would never imagine he would return
3. the men are scared, and Eurymachus makes a case that Antinous was the worse and just wanted the marriage to become king
4. Eurymachus offers for the suitors to pay Odysseus back, if they leave with their lives
5. Odysseus refuses and Eurymachus rallies the suitors to fight
6. Odysseus shoots Eurymachus, and he dies
7. Amphinomus rushed the king, but Telemachus spears him in the back
8. Telemachus decides to get arms for the four of them, and shields etc.
9. Melanthius accepts that there are on escape routes and decides to get some armor and weapons for the suitors
10. Telemachus realizes that he must have left the door open, and the swine and goatherd go to see if one of the women or Melanthius are responsible.
11. Eumaeus and Philoetius find Melanthius, and tie him up in the storage room.
12. Athena shows up as Mentor and asks Odysseus what happened to his fighting spirit
13. She then turns into a swallow and sits in the roof to test Telemachus and Odysseus
14. the suitors try to hit the four fighters witht ehri spears, but Athena had the spears miss, and the fighters kill suitors with their spears
15. the Cowherd killed Ctesippus and says that the spear is for the cow's hoof that was thrown at Odysseus
16. Leodes megs for mercy, but Odysseus cuts off his head
17. Phemius the bard begs for mercy, and Telemachus vouches for his innocence along with that of the herald
18. Hearing the prince, the herald comes out and begs for mercy, to which Odysseus tells them to stay in the courtyard
19. Eurycleia retrieves the unfaithful maids, and they are hung by Telemachus after cleaning up the bodies
20. Melanthius is hacked apart
21. Odysseus fumigates the house to purify it

Alot happened after the rather long and boring books. I found it weird how Telemachus so easily murdered a dozen women for them sleeping with the suitors. Also, although I understand why Odysseus did not grant their request, he did not even consider sparing the suitors for them to pay him. I would have given it some thought if it would mean peace in Ithaca. Also, 106 people were killed, but we only really heard about maybe a dozen. It just mentioned the stacks of bodies, and Odysseus is still considered a caring and good guy.

Book Twenty One: Odysseus Strings His Bow

Most of this book was pretty boring the usual Odysseus insults and Penelope crying about Odysseus. The book just has all the suitors trying to string Odysseus' bow, and all of them failing after Penelope removes it from storage. Odysseus meets up with Eumaeus and Philoetius and tests their faith before revealing his identity. Odysseus tells them to perform some tasks when signaled to. After taunts and debates with the suitors, Odysseus is allowed the chance to string the bow, which of course he does easily. Zeus decides its time to send a sign by having it lightning, and Odysseus shoots an arrow through all twelve axes. The swine and cowherd get all the women to be locked in their rooms and close the gates. Then, the sign is given to Telemachus and the book ends with Telemachus uniting with his father to kick butt.
After reading this book I was relieved that something was actually going to happen. The past 8 books or so have been about the preparation for this point, and finally blood will be shed. There have been enough predictions, enough signs, enough creepy blood dripping. Bird signs in the past books and seers have told the suitors their doom, and another seer who is also a suitor Leodes says that the bow they are trying to string will kill them all. Alcinous of course refuses his prediction, and antagonizes Odysseus, which is not good since he is fated to be killed first of all the suitors.

Class Analyzation of Book 20: Portents Gather

Portents: signs or omens

• Eagle with dove
• Amphinomus realizes will never kill the prince, concentrate on feasting
• Odysseus killing the suitors
• thunder and curse from maid as an omen from Zeus to Odysseus
• asks for another sign bc impatient
• not fully trust Athena's plan
• blood and laughing
• bleeding
• crazy laughter
• meat bleeding
• crying, grief
• walls with blood
• ghosts 
• mist and no sunshine
• creepy
• seems like the crawling meat with the Cattle of the sun
• used in sacrifices
• change something loved into hated
• don't have choice
• unfair bc make suitors more hated
• enjoys toying with mortals
• cruel to suitors, amphinomus, and Odysseus
• seems like very involved in Odysseus' lives
• make Odysseus suffer
• throw ox hoof at Odysseus
• selfish, needs something to do
• make sure that does not have his doubts

• had worried about people getting revenge after killing all the suitors
• can guard you since i am a goddess
• even if many, you could drive them away
• feel like shouldn't have to fight the suitors
• sort of vague, would continue the cycle of violence
• Melanthius returns
• makes fun of Odysseus
• Odysseus thinks about murdering Melanthius

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.

Book Nineteen: Penelope and her Guest

In book nineteen, very little happens. It is mostly just preparation for the slaughter of the suitors. Telemachus and Odysseus move the weapons, Penelope questions Odysseus, Odysseus is bathed and recognized by Eurycleia, and Penelope asks Odysseus to interpret her dream. I feel like women are grouped as evil, such as when Odysseus says that "No women's wildness here in the house escapes the prince's eye." Also, that Odysseus promises to kill all of the women in his palace, seems sort of like an overreaction since they are just working for Penelope. They do not deserve to be killed as they are not hurting his wealth, they only damage Odysseus' pride. Melantho again points out how Odysseus should leave, and Penelope calls her out on being wrong and like her husband, threatens her with death. Killing people is not the best way to solve problems, and I feel that the royalty is letting their power get to their heads.

Book Eighteen: The Beggar-King of Ithaca

Book Eighteen is another chapter that I consider relatively boring. Odysseus reached home almost six chapters ago, and I am waiting for something to actually happen. In book eighteen all that happens is Odysseus fights with Irus, Penelope tricks the suitors into giving gifts, and Antinous and Odysseus antagonize each other. Athena continues to do her godly work when she makes Odysseus look more impressive before he fights Irus, Penelope becomes more beautiful to the suitors, and she stirs up rage among the suitors at Odysseus. The most irritating thing about this book is how Odysseus constantly has his pride hurt, and responds inappropriately to it. When Irus challenges Odysseus, Odysseus takes offense and ends up hurting Irus severely. One of Penelope's maidens makes fun of him, and he threatens to tell Telemachus and have her hurt or killed. Last of all, Odysseus takes offense when the suitors insult him, yet when they feel offended by his remarks it is considered wrong. Yet in their eyes, this beggar of a much lower status is offending them, which if Odysseus was the person it was happening to then it would not be acceptable.