IRP Blog Post 9

After Odysseus and Telemachus talk for awhile about the "suitors" and how they plan to kill them, Telemachus decides to head home to Penelope. Upon returning home, she is so thrilled that he comes home, that she starts to cry. As they are feasting together (Something that they love to do in this story, symbolic of strong family ties), Telemachus tells his mother a small portion of him hearing about Odysseus. While he is talking, he does not mention the fact that he has seen him in the hut at Eumaeus's. While this is going on, Eumaeus and Odysseus head to the palace. When they arrive back home, Odysseus is incognito as a begger and tries to sneak to Penelope's room so that the Suitors do not see him. All the while, fighting breaks out among Odysseus and some other begger, but Athena gives him more strength so that he is able to fight back. Then Penelope comes out and claims that she was told that she could have another husband if Odysseus had not returned before Telemachus became more of a man and matured physically. The suitors try to win over Penelope by giving her presents.

"...they brought a long embroidered robe of the most beautiful material on which were fixed a dozen golden brooches, each fitted with a curved sheath for the pin.." (Page 283)

It was interesting how detailed Homer went into the items that they brought. I think it shows the wealthiness of Penelope and how Odysseus and her, really should have been equated with royalty.

http://www.search.com/reference/Telemachus ; here is a link to a reference site that talks a little bit about Telemachus and what his name means. I think it is interesting that in Greek his name means "far away fighter", yet he is always the peacemaker in the story and does not really fight a lot.

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