The Odyssey - Book 17 Summary

• Antinous berates the stranger, threatening violence.
• Other suitors recognize it's wrong to strike the stranger who could be a god in disguise.
• Telemachus suppresses his anger, plotting revenge on the suitors.
• Penelope, upon hearing of Antinous's treatment of the stranger, prays for his demise.
• She has Eumaeus bring the stranger to her, hoping he may have news of Odysseus.
• Odysseus declines to speak with Penelope immediately, fearing she would recognize him.
• He asks to speak with her in the evening after the suitors have left.
• Penelope agrees to Odysseus' request to speak with her later that evening after the suitors departed.

Eumaeus and Telemachus

• Eumaeus warns Telemachus of the suitors' potential harm and returns to his farm.
• Telemachus acknowledges Eumaeus's warning and bids him farewell until the next day.

Penelope and the Stranger

• Penelope tells Eurycleia she will speak with the suitors.
• Athena enhances Penelope's beauty while she sleeps and eases her weariness.
• Eurymachus compliments Penelope's beauty.
• Penelope reminds him of the grief she feels for her missing husband Odysseus.
• Odysseus had told Penelope to remarry when Telemachus is a bearded man if he had not returned from Troy.
• She says the time has come to remarry as Troy has fallen and Telemachus has become a man.
• Penelope points out that unlike typical suitors, these suitors bring no gifts and only take from her wealth.
• Odysseus is amused by Penelope's clever plan to extract gifts from the suitors.
• Antinous declares they will stay until Penelope chooses one of them.
• Each suitor sends for a gift.
• Antinous gave an embroidered robe with twelve golden clasps.
• The suitors spend the evening singing and dancing.
• Eurymachus mocks Odysseus, who is disguised as a beggar, but offers him work as a hired servant.
• Odysseus insults Eurymachus.
• Eurymachus throws a footstool at Odysseus.
• Telemachus stops him.
• Telemachus orders them to go home.
• Odysseus asks Telemachus to remove the weapons from the hall.
• Odysseus tells Telemachus to say the weapons were moved to protect them from the smoke of the fire, that has dulled them, so they no longer shine like the weapons that Odysseus left behind when he went to the wars of Troy.
• Telemachus stores his father's weapons.
• Odysseus requests to speak with his mother alone.
• Penelope asks Eurycleia to bring a bench with a fleece for the stranger to sit on, and tell his story.
• Penelope asks the stranger for his name and country of origin.
• Odysseus avoids revealing his identity or homeland to Penelope.
• Penelope talks to Odysseus.
• She talks of the princes of Ithaca and other islands who wish to marry her.
• She has delayed marriage by weaving a shroud for Odysseus' father and undoing the weaving each night, until a maid revealed her trick.
• Odysseus says he knew her husband and gave food and wine to him and his people.
• He informs Penelope that Odysseus stayed in his land for twelve days due to unfavorable winds. On the thirteenth day, they departed.
• Odysseus swears that Odysseus will return before the next new moon.
• Penelope expresses doubt. Odysseus declines a bed but accepts the offer of having his feet washed by an old woman.
• Old nurse Eurycleia recognizes Odysseus by a scar on his foot from a boar hunt long ago.
• Odysseus silences Eurycleia.
• Odysseus asks Eurycleia to keep his return a secret.
• Eurycleia promises to keep his secret.
• Penelope recounts a dream about an eagle killing geese, which Odysseus interprets as a sign of the suitors' imminent death at the hands of Odysseus.
• Penelope discusses her impending need to choose a husband from the suitors and how to choose among them.
• Penelope will hold a trial of strength and skill, using Odysseus' great bow.
• The suitor who can bend the bow and shoot an arrow through all twelve axes will be chosen as her husband.
• Odysseus approves of Penelope's plan and urges her not to delay the contest.

Contest for Penelope's Hand in Marriage

• Penelope will hold a trial of strength and skill
• She reveals she will marry the suitor who can string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads in a row.
• Odysseus approves of her plan and encourages her to hold the contest on the following day.
• Athena sends Penelope to sleep.