Summary
Soon after boarding a ship provided by Alcinus of Phaecia, Ulysses is left on the shores of Ithaca, adorned with gold, jewels, and other precious goods. He immediately stored his cargo in a nearby cave and disguised himself as a lowly beggar, practicing a limp. He then staggered into the city, finding his way to the hut of the swineherd, Eumaeus. He trusted the old man, something not easily found after a twenty year journey. He learned of his son, Telemachus, and his constant search for Ulysses himself, a search cut short. Soon, Telemachus would return home, which (as if o cue) he soon did, marching sorrowfully through the door. Unfortunately, his search at sea was unsuccessful, however he needed only to look within the swineherd's hut, where Ulysses revealed himself to the two astonished men. There, they planned a battle for the ages, rivaling the strategy of Ulysses's escapades in the Trojan War. The next evening, they went to the castle, where Ulysses reunited with his faithful dog, Argo, who died happily after seeing his master. Ulysses's wife, Penelope, had agreed to hold a competition that night to judge her suitor: Whomever could draw Ulysses's bow and fire it through twelve consecutive axe-rings would be crowned the victor and king. However, as each man tried, each failed to string the bow, let alone fire an arrow. Soon, the beggar (Ulysses in disguise) approached the men and proposed for the feeble beggar to take part; after all, he was the only man remaining. Reluctantly, the suitors allowed Ulysses to participate, a foolish mistake indeed. For Ulysses took the bow, strung it with ease, and let loose an arrow effortlessly through the axe-rings. At that moment, it was apparent to the suitors that they they were faced with Ulysses himself, and were to kill him should they want to take the throne. However, they had invoked the genuine rage of a king, and not even the wrath of the gods would possibly contend with it. Using his bow, he let fly a volley of arrows, making swift the deaths of the suitors. However, they were great in number and Ulysses, along with Eumaeus, Telemachus, and the cow herder's assistant, Philoetius, retreated to the great hall, where Ulysses took up a massive stone slab and hurled it at the remaining suitors, wiping out survivors. In one final stand, he restated his position as king of Ithaca, one twenty years in the making.