Monday, September 21, 2009

First Time Home in Twenty Years

BOOK 17

Telemachus goes home and sees his mother, Odysseus comes later in the form of a beggar and sees his dog Argos, Argos recognizes Odysseus and dies.

Telemachus goes home and is welcomed by his mother and nurse Eurycleia. At home, he meets Theoclymenus and Piraeus and asks Piraeus to keep the gifts Menalaus gave him for he fears the suitors may kill him for it. Then Telemachus tells his mother what little he learned about his father on his trip to Pylos and Sparta; however, he does not reveal he has seen his father at Eumaeus’s hut. Theoclymenus speaks and swears Odysseus is in Ithaca now. In the meantime, Odysseus and Eumaeus leave for town and are met on the way by Melanthius a companion of the suitor’s, and he heaps scorn on the two and kicks Odysseus. The two arrive at the house, Odysseus sees his hunting dog Argos on a dung heap plagued with flees, and Argos recognizes his master and dies. When Odysseus gets to his house he his welcomed rudely by the suitors, insulted by Antinous to which Odyssues answers back, for this Antinous strikes Odysseus with a stool. Penelope hears of this and Eumaeus leaves for his hut leaving Odysseus alone with Telemachus and the suitors.


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