The Odyssey Summary:Book 22
Book twenty-two opens with Odysseus shooting an arrow through Antinous’ throat. Antinous, the leader of the suitors, falls dead and sparks immediate reaction from his comrades. The suitors have no idea that Antinous’ murderer is Odysseus due to the fact that he is disguised, and therefore threaten to kill him. Odysseus is enraged and announces his true identity, with this knowledge the suitors begin to panic and fear for their lives. Odysseus feels these men must die for bleeding his house to death, ravishing his serving women, and wooing his wife.
The suitor, Eurymachus, explains that Antinous is to blame for any insubordination on their part. Eurymachus tries to calm Odysseus by offering compensation from each of the suitors. This payment included a value of twenty oxen, as well as bronze and gold. Odysseus finds no resolve in this matter and is bent on killing everyone in the room. With this turn of events, the suitors begin to fight Odysseus.
In this fight, Telemachus joins his father’s side in the conflict. On his father’s orders he quickly arms himself and the servants of the palace. Now Odysseus has the suitors trapped in the great hall and can dispose of them at his leisure. Athena enters; Odysseus is thrilled to see her taking the voice and build of Mentor, an old friend of his. Odysseus knows this is the daughter of Zeus and is being protected by her. With this development, Odysseus is energized to finish the onslaught he placed on the suitors.
During the fight no one was spared a grizzly death except the herald and the singer, who were saved by Telemachus’ will. Odysseus also calls on the old nurse, (Eurycleia) to round up the women who serviced the suitors needs during his absence. These women were ordered to clean up the blood and remove the bodies from the palace, later they were executed by Telemachus.
After the gruesome slaughter, Odysseus ordered the palace to be purged with fire and brimstone for cleansing purposes. In the end, his devoutful-serving women greeted Odysseus as they kissed and praised him for coming home.