Book 18 - The Beggar-King of Ithaca

In this book Odysseus wins his way into the palace, Penelope tricks the suitors into giving her gifts and Telemachus is forced to confront the suitors to stop things getting out of hand.

Beggar vs Beggar

A tramp called Arnaeus, but generally known as Irus (after the goddess Iris) because he is willing to run messages, appears at the palace, having heard that another beggar is there. When he finds Odysseus he tells him to leave. Odysseus objects, saying Irus has no reason or standing to remove him. Odysseus threatens to beat him if Irus does not leave him alone. But Irus is not deterred. He becomes boastful. He says how easily he could beat Odysseus and challenges him to a fight. Antinous is amused by the prospect of this and encourages the other suitors to come and watch. He proposes that the winner of the fight will get the choice of any food available and will be given the right to eat with the suitors thereafter, while the loser will be banished from the palace forever. Odysseus plays to the suitors’ prejudices. He claims to be an old man and asks that he be accorded some deference: that no one should intervene in the fight to help Irus. The suitors swear an oath to this. Telemachus speaks next and assures Irus that no one will interfere in the fight against him, either.

The two men prepare to fight. Athena, unseen by the suitors, fleshes out Odysseus’ limbs, making him look strong and powerful, for the suitors to see. They are amazed what his ragged clothes have been hiding and their opinion now turns against Irus. Irus, too, has realised he has made a mistake and trembles with fear. Antinous makes it worse by threatening Irus. He says that if he loses, he will be sent across the sea to King Echetus, who will torture him mercilessly. Meanwhile, Odysseus merely wonders how much he should reveal of his own strength and skill to the suitors.

When the fight begins Odysseus immediately smashes the bones in Irus’ neck. Irus falls, crying in pain. Odysseus hauls him to the outer gate of the palace and tells him to stay there. He will no longer be allowed to play the beggar-king.

The suitors now welcome Odysseus into the dining hall. He is given food and drink as promised. Amphinomous personally congratulates him. Odysseus warns him that what power men have is only granted by the gods and is eventually taken away. Men should not do wrong in their lives, but just accept what peace and happiness are offered by the gods. He then speaks generally to the suitors. He criticises them for abusing the hospitality of Penelope, and he warns them that they should leave the palace because Odysseus will soon return, and then blood will flow. Even so, the narrator tells us, Amphinomous’ death is already fated. He will be killed by Telemachus.

Penelope Appears Before the Suitors

Athena inspires Penelope to appear before the suitors. Penelope tells Eurynome she intends to do this. Eurynome advises Penelope to tell Telemachus and to wash before she goes. But Penelope says that whatever beauty she once had was gone when Odysseus left for Troy. As Eurynome makes preparations Athena comes to Penelope once more and puts her to sleep. While Penelope sleeps Athena uses an unguent to clean her cheeks, makes her taller, gives her a more curvaceous figure and lightens her skin. She then releases Penelope from sleep. Penelope feels refreshed and wishes that her death will be just as gentle and peaceful.

Penelope appears before the suitors and they are all overcome with desire for her. As she stands there, she chides Telemachus for allowing a guest to be ill-treated. Telemachus argues it is difficult to observe good customs when their world is so overturned by the imposition of the suitors. He says he is no longer a boy and he wishes that the kind of beating Irus just received would also be administered to the suitors.

Eurymachus steps forward to praise Penelope and her beauty, but Penelope again says that her beauty was diminished when Odysseus left for Troy. She recalls the day he left and the advice he gave her. She says he realistically told her that not all would return from Troy and that possibility included him. He asked her to look after his parents, and he said that if Telemachus was old enough to grow a beard and he had not returned, then she should remarry. She makes it clear she is mortified by this prospect. Further, she wonders why the suitors eat her food when the normal thing would be for suitors to shower their beloved with gifts. Odysseus smiles at the cunning of his wife.

Antinous immediately asks Penelope to accept whatever gifts are brought to her, but says the suitors will not go back to their own estates until Penelope has married one of them. So, the suitors send their servants away to bring back gifts for Penelope. Eurymachus’ man brings back a necklace, Eurydamus’ men bring earrings, and Pisander’s servant brings a choker.

Once all the gifts are presented the suitors turn to singing and dancing once again, and braziers are lit to see them through the night. Maids are left to keep the braziers going, but Odysseus tells them to go back to Penelope, saying he will ensure the torches are kept alight. The maids are delighted, except Melantho, who turns on Odysseus. Melantho was raised by Penelope, but she is secretly Eurymachus’ lover. She questions why Odysseus is in the palace and why he doesn’t go somewhere else for the night. She says some other better man will beat him up and he will be carted away, bloodied. Odysseus threatens to tell Telemachus what she has said. The women depart, afraid of his angry response.

Eurymachus and the Stool

Athena decides to make the suitors insult Odysseus further so as to further inflame his anger against them. Eurymachus jokingly says to the other suitors that Odysseus must be divinely sent because the light in the room seems to come from his shiny bald head. He then suggests Odysseus come to work for him, but then repeats the accusation, as though he has only just remembered it, that Odysseus is lazy and will not work. Odysseus replies that he would easily match or better Eurymachus in any work in the fields, such as ploughing or harvesting. He then says that any of the suitors would turn into cowards if Odysseus returned and stood where he is currently standing. This enrages Eurymachus, who suggests Odysseus’ caution has been affected by too much wine. Eurymachus picks up a stool and throws it, intending to hit Odysseus, just as Antinous did in Book 17. But Odysseus dodges the stool and it hits a wine steward, instead.

The suitors are angered by this. They believe their good times are being ruined. Telemachus address the suitors. He is both commanding as well as deferential. He says they should go home but makes it clear he is not commanding them, thereby showing a level of respect to defuse the situation. The suitors are surprised that Telemachus had the courage to speak to them in this way. Amphinomus says that it is a fair enough request. He suggests they drink libations and then go home to their beds. Mulius mixes wine for the suitors. They drink the wine and then leave for the night.