Τ- In front of Penelope

Telemachus took with Eurycleia all the weapons to another part of the palace, and they did it with the greatest possible secrecy as they were not to be discovered by the slaves, since it was known that some of them were on the side of the suitors.

Disguised as an old beggar, Odysseus took Penelope's invitation and approached her, to listen to her pain. Penelope told him her story, her Trojan War that split her family in two, but also the trick with her weaving that she could no longer untangle the suitors. Then he eagerly asked the stranger if he had learned anything in his travels about Odysseus, the king of Ithaca.

The beggar answered her that once ten years ago he had answered Odysseus in Crete, where he had his house and lived in mansions. In fact, he had hosted the king of Ithaca for fifteen days. From that time he had to learn about Odysseus, but recently he heard that Odysseus was in Thesprotia, preparing his return to Ithaca.

Penelope's caria flew with joy, but she was wary as she had heard false stories about Odysseus at other times, that he was well and coming home. Then he ordered her faithful Eurykleia to wash the guest's feet and lead him somewhere to sleep.

The old beggar thanked the queen and followed Eurykleia. She stooped down to wash his feet in a copper pot of water. And then she was startled as she recognized a mark on the knee of the man in front of her. It was a scar from a boar's tooth that she had known from long ago, and it was on the knee of her lord Odysseus. Eurykleia remained speechless, but as soon as she went to whisper that she recognized Odysseus, he gestured for her to remain silent. Faithful Eurykleia happily embraced him, but warned him that he should be careful as several of the handmaids supported the suitors.

Penelope a little later called Odysseus again to ask him to interpret one of her dreams: She had about twenty plump geese that she was taking care of in the palace, and suddenly a vulture killed them. She was inconsolable, but the helper told her in a human voice to stop crying. Odysseus pondered for a while and told Penelope that the eagle must be Odysseus himself returning to the palace to punish the suitors, symbolized by the geese.