The Odyssey Summary:Book 18

This book begins with a public tramp named Iros starting a fight with a fellow beggar (Odysseus in disguise). The fight is simply over territory as Iros tells Odysseus he must leave the hall doorway. Odysseus tries to explain that there is plenty of room for both, but Iros disagrees. The suitors overhear this argument and throw the two tramps into a ring together. Odysseus sheds his rags and prepares to fight; seeing his strong body, Iros no longer wants to fight, but the suitors insist upon the match. Iros throws the first blow to the shoulder of Odysseus. Odysseus contemplates killing Iros, but instead decides only to break his jaw. After this Odysseus takes Iros and throws him onto the doorstep “to keep the dogs and pigs away” (116). Odysseus is then allowed to feast with the suitors.

Next, Odysseus confronts Amphinomos telling him to leave the area while he can because Odysseus was on his return and would slay every suitor. However, Amphinomos’ fate had already been sealed; he could not flee because Athena had bound him there. It is told a spear thrown by Telemakhos would kill him.

Meanwhile, Penelope had decided to address the suitors and her son. Eurynome her faithful nurse advises her to present herself bathed and beautiful, but Penelope refuses. Athena wants Penelope to be beautiful for Odysseus, so as Eurynome leaves the room, Athena puts Penelope to sleep. During her slumber, Athena bathes and glosses her so that Penelope is breathtaking. Upon her wake Penelope goes to her son, in front of the hall of suitors. All are taken back by her beauty.

First, Penelope addresses her son—outraged by the treatment given to their visitor. Telemakhos explains she will understand things more clearly later, and no harm had come to the visitor. Penelope then addresses the suitors reciting what Odysseus told her before he left for his journey. It is time that she has no choice but to remarry. With her announcement, the suitors decide to bear gifts to the queen so that she might select the worthiest to become king. Penelope accepts these gifts then retreats to her room.

Odysseus then tells the housemaids to go attend to their queen, but these women only laugh in his face. Dolios, who had been taken in and raised by Penelope, was sleeping with Eurymakhos and told Odysseus that he was being crazy and had consumed too much wine. With this insult Odysseus grew angry and told Dolios that Telemakhos would have her arms and legs cut off. After this incident, the women retired to their rooms.

Finally, Odysseus and Telemakhos are left in the hall with only the suitors. Eurymakhos decides to talk of how lazy this beggar must be that he would rather beg than put in a hard day’s work. Odysseus boasts that he could work harder and fight longer. Eurymakhos becomes enraged then Telemakhos steps in to explain everyone has drank too much and should only retire to bed. The suitors finally agree and “they trailed off homeward drowsily to bed” (468).

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