ts, living high and drinking wine recklessly (2.54-63). Just to thicken the plot the suitors attempted to kill his son twice.When Odysseus arrived back in Ithaca, he swore that he would get revenge on the suitors and his disloyal servants. Odysseus knew that for his plan to work that is was crucial for him to keep his identity a secret. Next, he wanted to see which members of his family and servants had remained loyal to him. Shortly after being in town he learned that his herdsman, Eumaeus and his son Telemachus were still loyal. After talking with Zulu 5his son, Athena encouraged him to reveal himself and bring Telemachus into the plot for revenge. Odysseus told Telemachus that he would come to the house disguised as a beggar to see the suitors behavior for himself. He also wanted to check on the loyalty of his wife and servants of the house. During his visit to his house he was verbally and physically abused by the suitors and some of his staff members. He also discovered that some of Penelopes maids were sleeping with the suitors. Odysseus was ashamed and angry at how his family was being treated by supposedly the most noble men of Ithaca.After talking to Penelope in disguise, he learned that she tried her best to keep them away but the suitors were too determined. He also learned that she still loved him and wished that he would come home. Penelope did reveal that even though she wanted him to come home, she was pretty sure he was dead. From Athenas suggestion, Penelope told Odysseus that she would plan a contest and the winner would win her hand in marriage. Seeing how this competition could aid in his plot to kill the suitors, Odysseus encouraged Penelope to have the contest.Before the contest began Odysseus told Telemachus to hide all the weapons in the hall. The contest consisted of stringing a bow and putting it through twelve rings. All the suitors tried and failed miserably. Then Odysseus disguised as the be...
