Summary 17-20

Book 17
Telemachos goes to check on his mom and tells her to go get ready. Penelope keeps asking for news of Odysseus. Telemachos tells her that Odysseus was last seen on the island of Kalypso. Theoklymenos then interupts and tells Penelope that Odysseus is back in Ithaka and plotting revenge.  Odysseus and Eumaios run into Melanthios on their way into town. Melanthios mocks and abuses the beggar, but all Odysseus does is pray to the gods asking that Melathios gets what he deserves. They then reach the hall and before they go in Odysseus recognizes a dog named Argos, he was the one who trained this dog but never got the chance to take him hunting. The dog dies and they all enter the hall. Eumaios sits by Telemachos and then Odysseus comes in dressed as the beggar, he goes all around the table begging for food. He uses this as strategy for who goes on the good list and who goes on the bad list. They all give him food until Melanthios insults the man and regonizes him as the same old beggar. Antinoös yells at Eumaios for bringing a beggar into the hall. Odysseus then begs for Antinoös to give him some food, he refuses and throws a footstool at him. Penelope then hears all this noise and trys meeting with Odysseus but he tells her he will meet with her latter. 

Book 18 
A fight begins between the two beggars Odysseus and then the real beggar Iros. Iros doesn't think the town is big enough for there two be two beggars. Antinoös then sees that they are fighting and says that the winner will receive a prize of fat blood pudding. He then goes on by saying Iros will be beaten and castrated if Odysseus beats him. Odysseus only strikes Iros once and his jaw breaks. Athena puts Penelope to sleep for a little bit and makes her more beautiful then she already is and also inspires her to show her self to the suitors. Odysseus then tries to test Penelope's maids and Eurymachos gets mad and throws another footstool at him. Amphinomos then brings everyone back together and turns their attention to the banquet and away from fighting. 

Book 19 
Penelope has become so desperate that she is plannning on marrying a suitor so she can get out of Telemachos's house and let him live in peace. The beggar tells a little about him self to Penelope. When Eurykleia is giving Odysseus a foot bath she notices a resemblance of the beggar and the Odysseus, but the beggar just says oh I get that a lot. Odysseus then rembemers that he needs hide his scare or they will notice that its him. Eurykleia finds it though and realizes that its Odysseus so she starts to freak. Luckly she promises to keep it a secret. Penelope then tells Odysseus that she is ending the courtship tomorrow with a contest. The suitors must string Odysseus's old bow and shoot an arrow through twelve consecutive axe heads. She will then marry the suitor that wins. 

Book 20 
Odysseus lays down and goes to sleep on Penelope's floor. Athena shows up and give Odysseus a speach while Penelope is upstairs crying. Penelope prays for death and dreams that Odysseus comes back, but she doesnt beleive in good omen. When Odysseus wakes up he asks Zeus for a sign that he was meant to come home. So Zeus sends a thunderclap through the perfectly clear sky. A maid hears the thunder and prays that all her hard work to feed the suitors will soon be over. She also asks that all the suitors die. We then meet Philoitios who is very nice and welcomes the beggar, and he notes his resemblance to Odysseus. At the end of book twenty Theoklymenos has a vision of the hall filled with dripping blood and shades of the dead but no one cares and they all just laugh at him.