Odysseus Part 15

XV

I heard this from Penelope of the events before I arrived.

“He has evaded the traps. The fools wait and he slipped through.” It was Eurymachus who told the rest of the suitors that Telemachus has evaded their ambush and is back on Ithaca. Antinous was who planned it could not believe his ears.

“It can’t be. Its not possible as the plan was well thought. Did anyone of you talked to someone who would had told him? Tell me now. I am very upset that the things I planned can go wrong.”

No one owns up but none stopped them from making a new one. It was then she walked in on them after hearing the words spoken earlier.

“So who dares to harm my son? Tell me?”

There was one who was named Amphinomos said he does not want to kill our son, but to delay his return. He asked the rest to affirm his statement but none did to support him. He then decided to sit back and have his drink in silence. Penelope walked towards the man who planned all of this.

“Antinous, on your conscience I asked. Who saved your father before? It was Odysseus, And now you come to his house and demand of his son’s life. Surely you have not lost your conscience?”

Antinous ignored and it was Eurymachus who tried to to win her favor assured her that no harm will come to our son but she believes him not.

It was that time when I decide to go to my house but I will do son in the disguise as a beggar. I was to pass the city on my way home. Meantime Telemachus has left to fetch the seer from his hideout, and they also walked to Penelope.

Penelope on seeing the seer asked Telemachus is it me I brought home. But my son lied that I am in Calypso island. But the seer who stood in front of her claims otherwise.

“He is here”, said the seer. But Telemachus told his mother to ignore his ramblings.

As I was walking into the city with Eumaius, I felt tired. It was Eumaius who gave me a walking stick to hold onto. I happened to bumped into Melanthios, one of the suitors. Melanthios mocks me and the smell I give to the people around. Melanthios also sings of the trap on Telemachus and how I am supposed to had died. But I held my composure and walked ahead with Eumaius. We near the house and I can hear the sounds from the Hall serenaded by Phemius.

Before the house,  I spied a young pupply neglected by the servants. According to Eumaius, the servants neglect their duties in the absence of the master. We walked to the Hall and entered it. Telemachus saw us and invited us in to share the food. The Hall was exactly as I had left it ten over years ago, and the furnitures are still the same but now they are seated by swine in the disguise of man.

Telemachus offered me food at the table with the others, but I was disguised as a beggar, so I moved among them begging for it. It was the advise of Athena who spoke to me in my mind to seek my food from the others in the Hall. I did as I was asked, asking each of the suitors to pass me some food. Some did and some ignored me. It was Antinous who lashed out at Eumaius for bringing in a beggar. “Your beggar friend spoils my appetite with his foul smell. He smells like your swines in the pen”.

Melanthios on recognizing me from the city, then accuses Eumaius of bringing me here from the city; “the same foul person I kicked at the city streets and now he sits in the same hall in my presence. I think I will need to throw up my food for him as he deserved only those’. Most vile are his thoughts, but I held back my emotions. 

It was Telemachus who spoke out against Antinous.

“Antinous, you shamed me. A man of your nobility exchanging words on a beggar.” Antinous tried to defend his ways but he just got himself cornered in.

I had to add more to the shame when I recount of some of my valor tales that just makes Antinous more annoyed. He threw a stool at me but I rebuked him for his act; “A stool he throws at me. I am pleased as now I can sit with it.”

Others joined in and he was shamed. Penelope on seeing my plight asked for my audience but Eumaius warned her that I am a liar. But I declined the invitation to late evening as I want to see the suitors in the Hall. I stared at them and learned their names and face well. It will be doing when I need to kill them later.

Eumaius was kind to explain to her that I would like to eat my food and see her later. She agreed to my request.  

But as I was settling down to eat, another local beggar comes calling into the room and wants to move me out. I told the new beggar whose name is Irus, that there is enough for two.

"Listen to this swine who can talked. But I can shut him up with my fists and he will sleep forever.” Irus is a normal man but many years younger than me. He draws on hos youth to challenge . Antinous laughs at the taunting played by the Irus.

“Do it, both of you beggars and the one who wins stay to dine on with us.” Antinous speak of a challenge. I wanted to avoid a fight but to get rid of Irus, I need to do it. Telemachus seek me out that he will watched my back while Athena give me strength and bulk to my muscles. It surprised everyone when I took off my tunic. Irus panicked on seeing my frame but Antinous caught hold of him; “Fight him or be sold as a slave.”

We fought and it was an uneven fight. I broke Irus’ jaw on my first hit. And my second got him running out of the Hall.

It was after the fight that Penelope walked in. We did noticed her departure until now. She is dressed in her best and she looked beautiful. She walked in with her handmaidens to avoid being alone as a lady in the hall with her male suitors. When she speaks they listened. I heard her every words.

“Telemachus, you disappoint me twice. First you allowed your guests including beggars to be insulted. Second, I told your father I will marry again when you grow a beard. But you are now about to be bearded yet the suitors you bring are not of my liking.”

But the suitors are not to discouraged. Instead they laughed at her and showered her with more gifts nevertheless. But she was looking at me. She beckon to me sit by her.

“I know Odysseus.” I told her when I sat by her. “I was his friend when we were on a ship together”.

She asked me how do I show proof for my tale. I told her of the brooch and the shirt he wore. Penelope was touched by the memoriam of the item she gave to me. I told her of the last few adventures. She soon grown tires and asked that I be given a bath and a place to rest in the house. I wanted to declined but Penelope is the host.

It was then Penelope spoke again to the suitors.