Today is going to be short, sweet, and to the point (hopefully) because I'm pressed for time. Apologies in advance.
Book XIII is titled "From Phaeacia to Ithaca." After Odysseus is done telling his tale, Alcinous tells him that he will make sure Odysseus will return to Ithaca with much wealth. They have a feast all the next day while Alcinous's men prepare ships for Odysseus, who is impatient to leave. That night, Alcinous's men row him to Ithaca and he actually makes it. They land on a rocky area of the island. Odysseus slept the entire trip so the men unload him and the treasures he brought. Poseidon obviously isn't happy that Odysseus made it home so he goes and tells Zeus that he needs to suffer more. Zeus pretty much tells him that he's a god and can do anything to mortals that he wants. Poseidon finds Alcinous's men's ship, who's about home, and promptly turns it into stone. It sinks. Athena sees what's going on and covers Odysseus in a mist while he sleeps. Odysseus wakes up and doesn't realize where he is. He thinks he's been deceived. Athena comes down and reveals herself. She tells him that she's had his back the whole time. Odysseus is happy about that. She assures him that he's in Ithaca. She helps Odysseus hide the treasure in a cave and they come up with a plan. She dresses him up like a beggar because who really wants to talk to a beggar? Then, she tells him to go talk to the pig herder and she flies off to tell Telemachus that Odysseus is home.
Book XIV is called "The Stay with Eumaeus." Odysseus shows up at the pig herder and is nearly attacked by dogs. The pig herder Eumaeus comes out and stops them. He welcomes Odysseus and offers him what little he has. He begins to talk about life without Odysseus, which hasn't been fun. Still disguised, Odysseus tries to tell him that Odysseus isn't actually dead and he will come back. Eumaeus doesn't really believe him and asks Odysseus to tell him about himself. Odysseus makes up a lie that's actually pretty similar to the truth and says that he saw Odysseus and he knows that he is on his way back home. This gives Eumaeus some hope. Eventually, they go to sleep and Eumaeus says he can give him shelter and food until Telemachus returns then he will help him to the palace.
Book XV, "Telemachus and Eumaeus" begins with Athena telling Telemachus to return to Ithaca immediately because Penelope is about to marry a suitor (this isn't true). She tells him to go to Eumaeus when he returns to Ithaca and Eumaeus will tell Penelope that Telemachus is back. At dawn, Telemachus gets some gifts and Helen interprets an eagle flying with a dead goose in its talons as a sign that Odysseus has returned and will kill the suitors. The day he is to leave, a man gifted with prophetic abilities approaches Telemachus to ask for a ride back to Ithaca. Telemachus says sure. Back in Ithaca, Odysseus tests Eumaeus's hospitality, but he prevails. He then asks about his father and mother. Eumaeus says Odysseus's father would like to be dead because he grieves because Odysseus is gone. We learn some background on Eumaeus and they spend the rest of the night chatting. Eventually, Telemachus gets to Ithaca and heads to Eumaeus's house.
Book XVI is titled "The Recognition by Telemachus." Telemachus arrives at Eumaeus's house where Eumaeus asks if Telemachus can house the beggar (Odysseus). Telemachus says their house is full of suitors right now, so he really can't have him over. Telemachus laments that he won't be able to oust the suitors. Odysseus encourages Telemachus, but Telemachus is still pretty negative about it. He sends Eumaeus to tell Penelope that he's returned, but tells him not to mention it to the suitors. Athena then pops out of nowhere and tells Odysseus to reveal himself to Telemachus. The father and son then have a happy reunion. Odysseus tells Telemachus the plan to get rid of the suitors: Athena will disguise him as a beggar again and he will head to distract the suitors while Telemachus locks their weapons away in another room. He tells Telemachus not to let anyone else know that he's back. The duo agrees to talk to the lady servants to see who is being loyal to Odysseus. They then send a runner to tell Penelope Telemachus has returned. Not a good move because then all the suitors find out. The suitors decide they must move fast to kill Telemachus. They aren't fazed by this new wrinkle in the plan then head to sleep when Eumaeus gets back.
Book XVII is "The Return of Telemachus to Ithaca." Telemachus wakes up and wants to go see Penelope. He tells Eumaeus to let the beggar go to town and beg for food. He gets home and orders Penelope to get cleaned up and pray to Zeus for favor against the suitors. The suitors are all lounging around, being their lazy selves. Odysseus and Eumaeus then head to town. They reach the royal hall and Eumaeus goes in first. Odysseus speaks first and sees his old dog perk up his ears. Odysseus sheds a tear for his dog, who was a puppy when he left, and how he is mistreated. As Odysseus speaks, the dog breathes his last breath, happy seeing his master again (more sad than Old Yeller). Telemachus enters the hall and pretends he doesn't know who the beggar is. The suitors mock the beggar (bad idea considering Athena said they're all about to die). Penelope comes down and asks the beggar about Odysseus he says that he'll talk with her later tonight.
Book XVIII is titled "The Fight of Odysseus and Irus." Irus, the regular beggar at the hall, sees Odysseus begging and says that the town isn't big enough for two beggars. Antinous eggs them on and they start to fight. Antinous says that if Odysseus wins, he will castrate and beat Irus. Odysseus tries to be merciful and only hits Irus once. Unfortunately, this is enough to break Irus's jaw. Athena puts Penelope asleep and makes her lovelier than she already is. Penelope then wakes up and has an alluring effect on the men. She doesn't realize it though, and chastises Telemachus for allowing fights to go on in their house. Penelope actually ends up flirting a little with the suitors after one says that she is beautiful. She tells them that no one has actually really courted her correctly; no one has given her gifts. Although she says this, no suitor stands up and offers her a gift because they've run off actually looking for gifts to give. They finally give her gifts and her maids help take them back. At night, there's a feast and one of suitors tries to fight with Odysseus, but someone stops them and says they have more wine to drink.
Because of time constraints, I won't be able to do a visualization post, but I think you guys get it. I apologize. Don't be mad. Tomorrow will be back to normal. I'll post about the final six books and have a visualization post, then Sunday I will have my final post.
My apologies again,
Cassy
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