Another reason this shows we can trust Penelope is because before this scene Odysseus went through all the trouble to find out if she was faithful or not and then she continues with the same thing that Odysseus had found out. Answer (1 of 5): Well, this is a question for Google/Wikipedia/reading the poem if ever I saw one..! Penelope decides that the best way to avoid remarriage is to create an impossible archery contest. 1 Answer/Comment. Odysseus is a warrior in the Trojan War, and the Odyssey covers his return home after many long years. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. See an analysis of Penelope's character, read about Penelope weaving a shroud, and find her quotes. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. succeed. Penelope, in the Odyssey, is recognized as the quintessential faithful wife. Most people think of a hero as a strong, superior, good-looking person that could never make a mistake. Odysseus revealed his identity to his son Telemachus and a few trusted servants, but not to Penelope. Hausmann, Christoph. Penelope is in a very dangerous situation when the suitors begin invading her house and asking and then demanding her hand in marriage. March 31, 2022 by zahsya salsabila sa. Kalypso offered Odysseus luxury and immortality, yet he still turned down the beautiful goddess and chose Penelope. An error occurred trying to load this video. Penelope had to take care of their son, their estate, and their servants for 20 years. She told them, Penelope may not have as exciting of a life as some of the other characters in Homers The Odyssey, but she makes up for it by being very clever, which makes her a good match for her husband, Odysseus. [31], With this information, Odysseus and Telemachus began plotting. 0F The Odyssey is 'epic' in (at least) two senses: Grand scale A narrative poem in the genre of 'epic' BUT NOT in the modern sense a 'national' epic 'Epic' (epos in Greek) Can be almost synonymous with 'myth' - any story told It can also mean a specic genre of poetry - any . . Telegony (fragments); Hyginus, Fabulae 127. Book 17. An epithet is a characterizing device used by the author; Homer chooses the one that fits the length and rhythm he needs in the poetic line. He did, however, speak to her privately one night. 39 chapters | The most important of these emphasized her virtue and cunning, including (ammn, blameless), (pinyt, prudent), (perphrn, wise, sage), and (echphrn, sensible, discreet). Athena in the Odyssey by Homer | Character Analysis & Role. In the beginning of the story, Penelopes most prominent qualities are passivity, loyalty, and patience (along with beauty and skill at the loom) the age-old feminine virtues. She had promised Odysseus that she would not marry until their son, Telemakos, reached the age of adulthood. As in the familiar ancient tradition, these modern Penelopes are defined by their virtue and faithfulness. Without his father, Odysseus would not have the courage he possesses. Penelope continues to be evoked in modern pop culture. 2022 Wasai LLC. She tells her suitors that she will not be ready to marry until she has finished weaving a burial shroud for Odysseus' father, Laertes. She knows that nobody could possibly accomplish this feat except Odysseus. The Odyssey Quotes Showing 1-30 of 235. Some critics dismiss Penelope as a paragon of marital fidelity a serious and industrious character, a devoted wife and mother, but one who lacks the fascination and zest for life that some of Homers immortal women display. Unfortunately, when they finally met, the father and son did not recognize each other, and Telegonus killed Odysseus. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. He later discovers that his mother, Antikleia, has passed away, due to mourning him, however, his father still lives. 20.____The episode in which Penelope invites the old beggar to her room is important because it ____. Pherecydes, FHG 1 F 88 (cited in the scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes Argonautica 1.101ff). When Odysseus fails to return home promptly from the ten-year Trojan War, 108 other suitors try to win Penelope's hand in marriage. tags: 11-379 , sleep. Penelope, a Greek mythology character who would have been familiar to ancient audiences, was the daughter of Icarius of Sparta and a nymph named Perioboea. (2022, December 8). [35], When Odysseus came home and discovered that Penelope had been unfaithful, he either banished her,[36] killed her,[37] or left Ithaca to continue his wanderings.[38]. Scholia on Homers Odyssey 4.797; Eusthathius on Homers Odyssey 1.343. She told the suitors that she would remarry after she finishes her weaving project, but each night she undoes everything she did that day. Penelope uses her intelligence and slyness again as she tells them whoever wins an archery contest using Odysseus bow, which only he could use, she would marry. Two of the world's oldest poems, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, take it as their inspiration. It would seem that H. is here homing in on a conclusion, . In the beginning of the story, Penelope's most prominent qualities are passivity, loyalty, and patience (along with beauty and skill at the loom) - the age-old feminine virtues. However, both of these methods eventually lose their effectiveness, so she tries something else. . In one tradition, known only from commentators writing in late antiquity, the infant Penelope was thrown into the sea by either her own parents or by Nauplius, a neighboring king. In ancient art, Penelope was more commonly depicted mourning Odysseus absence, saying goodbye to her son Telamachus, or receiving gifts from the suitors. While Penelope speaks of disappearance and loss, her diction and the context of her prayer hint that there is a possibility of re-emergence and return. Using her cunning, she managed to hold off the suitors for years. swift-footed ; godlike ; shepherd of the people ; son of Peleus ; leader of men. to establish order in world; represent civilization (olympians) vs nature (titans), assert eternal power of Olympians. They stole the suitors weapons and arranged for them to be locked in the main hall. The suitors pursued her, overtook her home and aggressively pushed her to remarry as she was supposed to. It is perhaps noteworthy that our earliest evidence for the linking of the sun with Apollo comes from Euripides, The first thing to observe about this myth is its striking structural similarity to the story of Odysseus and Penelope, if the latter story is considered as a chronological whole, including parts that are not mentioned in the. . Hesychius, s.v. High School World History: Tutoring Solution, History of Ancient Greece: Tutoring Solution, Who is the Greek God Hephaestus? Through cunning, independence and loyalty, Penelope is able to create a positive image as a woman. He always used this phrase to describe Dawn, and the way she would cast light upon the world. The way, While Antinoos tells stories of Penelopes scheming he says Does she intend to keep us dangling forever? (II. "The Odyssey" (Gr: "Odysseia") is the second of the two epic poems attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer (the first being "The Iliad" ), and usually considered the second extant work of Western literature. She worries that Odysseus prefers Helen to her. Mackail, J. W. Penelope in the Odyssey. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Gantz, Timothy. While the readers could focus on the triumphs and accomplishments of Odysseus, Odysseus has done wrongs. There are also many important things that other characters say to or about Penelope over the course of the poem: Penelope is a character who is highly respected by those around her. She is the one that he thinks of when he is stranded at sea and it is the promise of their reunion that keeps him going. Scholia on Homers Odyssey 1.275, 1.277, 4.797. Even when she was mourning Odysseus, she was able to raise and love Telemakhos. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. He then took Penelope and Telemachus with him to his mothers island of Aeaea. Penelope, a Greek mythology character who would have been familiar to ancient audiences, was the daughter of Icarius of Sparta and a nymph named Perioboea. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. Indeed, Odysseus return journey had been fraught with peril and setbacks: he spent ten years wandering the seas, losing all of his ships and men in the process. He beats us over the head with epithets like "clear-headed Telemachos," "wise Penelope," or "Odysseus, master mariner and soldier." She is the daughter of Icarius and Perioboea and the mother of Telemachus. Each night, she undoes her weaving so that she can claim that she cannot marry until the shroud is complete. How did Penelope characterize Helen in The Penelopiad? Telemachus exclaims that he has the power, he further illustrates how he has power over his mother because he is a male in a male-dominated society. Penelope's Odyssey quotes give a great deal of insight into her character. I feel like its a lifeline. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. HOMER / The Odyssey, Book One 273 05_273-611_Homer 2/Aesop 7/10/00 1:25 PM Page 273 Page 2 of 339. children and fools, they killed and feasted on the cattle of Lord Hlios,2 the Sun, and he who moves all day through heaven took from their eyes the dawn of their return. I have tried above to tease out possible pointers to a connection between Apollo and the Pandareids, suggesting that their myths are suited to appear in the context of Apollos festival in the, For her part, Artemis also has ties to the themes important in the mythology of the halcyon and, in all likelihood, of the. Odysseus says this to Penelope about the archery contest, speaking of course about himself. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 So she spoke, and the golden-throned Eos came at once. Penelope waits for Odysseus for twenty years. Penelope has also been highlighted as the most faithful of wives, as it was said that Penelope waited 20 years for her husband to return to her. In both myths, then, there is a first part in which a daughter is separated from her reluctant father and taken away by her new husband, and a second part in which the husband has to compete for her with his bow against a challenger or challengers. The couple lived together in Odysseus small island kingdom of Ithaca, where they had a son named Telemachus. b. Penelope summons the "beggar" Odysseus and questions him. f. Get an answer. Penelope says this about Odysseus to the man she has not yet recognized as Odysseus when he is sitting inside his own home. [14] One source claimed that she also had a brother (or half-brother) named Elatus. What are two epithets for Odysseus? She only has one son with Odysseus, Telemachus, who was born just before Odysseus was called to fight in the Trojan War. King of Ithaca, husband of Penelope, and father of Telemachus, former commander in the Trojan War, Odysseus is the flawed, beloved hero of this tale of homecoming and revenge. The repeated use of a word or phrase for the same person, place, or object. However, that argument is challenged several times throughout the epic. Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, Odysseus was presumed dead. Though Penelope often spends many nights weeping over the absence of her husband, it seems as if she never loses faith in her husband, and she truly believes that he will return to her and punish the suitors that have taken over their. The contest of the bow and axes is another example of Penelopes guile; it also illustrates her wry sense of destiny. Throughout all this time, her suitors remain at her house, eating and drinking and generally proving to be a very costly problem. > Godlike, wise, goodly, noble, divine, Zeus-born, glorious, great-hearted, hapless, enduring, 'of many wiles', 'son of Laertes', 'sacker of cities', 'of many devices', renowned, cunning, resour. Pherecydes, FHG 1 F 90 (cited in the scholia on Homers Odyssey 15.16). [2] This etymology may be related to the myth that Penelope was thrown into the sea as a baby and saved by ducks. A major point includes The Trojan War because it focuses in on Odysseus journey to bring Helen back home by devising a plan to destroy warriors in the city. Penelope is able manipulate the suitors that have come to pursue her in Odysseuss absence. In fact, without many of the women there would not be a complex plot to this epic poem. 4 West. In several books, Odysseus has the epithet "godlike", showing that he is in some way similar to the gods, and a tier higher than a regular mortal. Soon after, Penelope and Telegonus had a son named Italus, from whom Italy derived its name.[34]. Homer, Odyssey 1.329 and passim; Apollodorus, Library 3.10.6; etc. Part 1. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. She is also cunning and intelligent, able to use her skills to postpone remarriage to one of her suitors. What are examples of epithets in the Odyssey? Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, wins the contest, kills all of the other suitors, and resumes his marriage with Penelope. Pausanias (ca. Although penelope show loyalty and faithfulness in both text, there difference in the level of her knowledge. [13], Other sources listed her brothers (or half-brothers) as Amasichus, Phalereus, Thoon, Pheremmelias, and Perilaus, while her sister, called Iphthime in the Odyssey, was either Hypsipyle, Mede, Laodamia, or Laodice. 1121 likes. In what appears to have been a well-known tradition, Odysseus had no sooner returned to Ithaca than he was forced to leave again on another odyssey, this time to do penance for blinding Poseidons son Polyphemus. The Iliad is set in the 10th year of the war, the Odyssey in the aftermath as its hero, Odysseus, spends 10 more years trying to get home.These epics are both stories of men and each one begins with an appeal to tell the . When Penelope and Odysseus are reunited, Odysseus kills his wife's other suitors. Another instance in which Penelope upholds the patriarchal Greek values is in The Penelopiad, an account of The Odyssey, which shows the events of The Odyssey in the eyes of Penelope. In Penelopes narrative, Helen runs away from Menelaus with Paris, a Trojan prince, inciting the Trojan War and causing Odysseus to leave Ithaca. Rosy-fingered was used as a title for Dawn in Homers famous 16th century poem, The Odyssey. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. . A. T. Murray. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Study Odyssey Study Guide flashcards. What are various methods available for deploying a Windows application? Character Analysis Penelope. The day of the contest is Penelopes chance to regain what she has lost or to lose it forever, and the two possibilities are reflected in Penelopes prayer, signaled by the fruitless Pandareids on the one hand, and a suddenly vivid recollection of Odysseus on the other. After the wedding, Odysseus brought Penelope to his modest island kingdom of Ithaca. Penelopes bright mind, even though she is mortal, is often represented by rhetorical questions that are posed by various characters throughout the story. They moved into her palace, ate her food, and tormented her servants. It is said that she was first called Arnaia and was thrown into the sea by her parents, and then carried to shore by some birds called, The plunge into the sea is yet another link between Penelope and Alkyone, and for both of them it has to do with birds. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The goddess, bright-eyed, the brilliant one, wise one, and the swift one are just a few of the words used in English. Furthermore, an additional element can be added to Simonides presentation of the myth of Idas and Marpessa on the basis of the, , At that time in their house her father and her lady mother, When Penelope laments and prays to Artemis on the day of Apollos festival and when she mentions abduction by the snatching winds, a fall into Okeanos, death by an arrow of Artemis, separation from Odysseus, and the daughters of Pandareos, it seems that she does much more than simply re-enact her role as a bride. His longing for the reunion with them, which would allow him to regain his identity, is what motivates him to deny Kalypsos offer. When Odysseus succeeds in shooting the arrow through the axes, she has one more test for him. To some extent, Homer tells us what we need to know by, well, just saying it. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Penelope is likewise unwilling to believe that Odysseus is dead, no matter how long she has to wait for him. 24 CE): Penelope and her family are mentioned a few times in Book 10 of the Geography, a late first-century BCE geographical treatise and an important source for many local Greek myths, institutions, and religious practices from antiquity. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus is repeatedly referred to as "many-minded," Penelope as "prudent," and Telemachus as "sound-minded." What's more, Odysseus' cunning is almost matched by the intelligence of his wife Penelope, who manages to remain loyal to Odysseus and stave off her suitors in his absence through trickery and cunning. Antinoos being aware of this, and admitting to it, is testament to Penelopes smarts. It is an attempt at reading the "Odyssey" from Penelope's point of view, which is grounded in the fact that the structure of the "Odyssey" points to such a perspective. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. When Odysseus and Penelope reunite, but before Penelope recognizes her husband, he says this to her as an acknowledgment of her suffering. Suitors in The Odyssey by Homer | List, Characters & Traits, The Odyssey by Homer: Book 21 | Summary, Quotes & Analysis, Nausicaa in the Odyssey | Princess, Greek Mythology & Significance, Calypso in the Odyssey | Character, Analysis & Role in Greek Mythology, Eumaeus in the Odyssey by Homer | Character Role & Description, The Odyssey by Homer: Book 22 | Summary, Quotes & Analysis. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Wilson does the same with the stock epithets of all the characters of the Odyssey, major as . All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Penelope feels that she is living in Helen's shadow and often compares herself to her. Kapach, Avi. Her father Icarius challenged the men to a footrace and promised his daughter to the winner, who turned out to be Odysseus. 139) Penelope is not only extraordinarily clever, but she is also a caring and loyal mother. After being away for twenty years, Odysseus finally returned to Ithaca, three years into the suitors bid to win his wife. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Homer, The Odyssey. Many unmarried men started to suspect that Odysseus had died in the war or on the way back from the war, so . Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. In time, Penelope would become strongly associated with weaving and the loom, due to the memorable myth in which she delayed her unwanted suitors by promising to marry one of them only after she had finished weaving a shroud. Each person has their low points and highlights, regardless of their rank. . Arnaa).[4]. This repetition of what come to be stock phrases create a. tags: inspirational , life. Penelope By Avi Kapach Last updated on Dec 8, 2022 Overview Penelope was a beautiful princess from Sparta, best known for marrying the hero Odysseus. She was saved, however, by ducks, which in Greek are called pnelopes. The poem describes, through the characters of Telemachus, Odysseus, and Penelope, ways to live rich and heroic lives. As far as the text of the Odyssey shows, Penelope's love for Odysseus is genuine. The story follows the journey of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who wandered for 10 years while trying to return home from the Trojan War. Minerva Removes the Doubts of Penelope by Theodoor van Thulden, after Francesco Primaticcio (16321633). Homer, The Odyssey. When Odysseus told her that this was impossible, as he had built the bed out of a living olive tree (a fact that only the real Odysseus could have known), Penelope knew it was really him.[33]. "There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.". Others have argued that Penelopes name came from the Greek word pnelops, which is a kind of duck. Odysseus Character Analysis. Also, that she did not believe any random guy that showed up saying he was Odysseus and staying faithful to the real Odysseus. Strabo (64/63 BCEca. Penelope is the wife of Odysseus in the Odyssey by Homer. [29], As the suitors grew increasingly persistent, Penelope devised crafty ways to delay them. The repeated use of a word or phrase for the same person, place, or object. First, she claimed that she could not remarry until she had woven a burial shroud for her father-in-law Laertes. Her husband, disguised as a beggar, has returned and is in the crowd, but Penelope seems to recognize him only gradually. Penelope is an extremely clever woman who could match Odysseus in his wit. On Penelope in ancient art, see Christoph Hausmann, Penelope, in Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (Zurich: Artemis, 1994), 7:29195. One of the most noticeable features of Homer's Odyssey. London: I. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. By crafting a lie that delays the suitors from marrying her immediately, Penelope restrains the suitors from seizing Ithaca, her household, and posing a threat to Telemachus or Odysseus. Rather, she gives voice to the themes that are constituent of her own mythic persona, some of them even signaled by her very name. This means that Penelope must continue to allow them to abuse the hospitality that was expected at that time, and all she can do is try to outsmart the suitors until her husband comes home. She did what it took to fend off the suitors with hope that her husband would come back for her. In Homers The Odyssey, Penelope is a good match for Odysseus because she is clever, and she shows that cleverness when she stalls the suitors by weaving the burial shroud, when she devises the contest with, Unlike Odysseus Penelope is confined by the gender roles of her time and cannot use physical strength against the suitors or even direct verbal rejection, instead Penelope resorts to her emotional resilience and wit in order to challenge the suitors. Penelope. In The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th ed., edited by Simon Hornblower, Antony Spawforth, and Esther Eidinow, 11023. Just as when rose-fingered Dawn took Orion for herself. Penelope is also very kind, which we see when she interacts with the servants and her son. Penelope's bright mind, even though she is mortal, is often represented by rhetorical questions that are posed by various characters throughout the story. Penelope. She is a complicated woman with a wry sense of destiny who weaves her plots as deftly as she weaves a garment. The use of epithets in the poem allow, 1) The choice of words alludes to the fact that Penelope, even though she spent twenty years mourning and wishing for her husband, is still able to think and use her mind in an extraordinary way. She is also honorable, as she is never unfaithful to Odysseus during his twenty-year absence. The Return of Ulysses: A Cultural History of Homers Odyssey. 123) His words express that not only has Penelope deceived them already, she is quite capable of doing it again. The couple lived together in Odysseus' small island kingdom of Ithaca, where they had a son named Telemachus. Penelope characterizes Helen as vain, cruel, and flirtatious. She does very little but lie in bed and weep. Penelope is mortal, yet Odysseus still chooses her because she has still surpassed her weaknesses in a way that compels her husband to choose her instead of an immortal. By clark February 11, 2022. Because of this, she was renamed Penelope. Perseus Digital Library. Penelope and Odysseus by Ugo da Carpi after Raphael (ca. Different aspects of such culture and history may have influenced the works and creativity of Homer as well. If that is so, then it seems that Penelope has deep ties to the theme of solar-like disappearance and re-emergence that is so prominent in the, Finally, Penelopes mythic background may have its own links with the festival of Apollo. She dies shortly after, and the manner of her death is significant: . Sasha Blakeley has a Bachelor's in English Literature from McGill University and a TEFL certification. The poem is an exultation of man over the glory of the gods because despite mans limitations his achievements are obtained through the combination of his intelligence, fortitude and skills not supernatural powers. Mythopedia. There is an island called Syria, perhaps you have heard of it. Penelope also loves her son, Telemachus, but she knows that he is too young and nave to be able to help her fend off her suitors. It is a tag or nickname that can be used on its own or together with the real name. Penelope Though she has not seen Odysseus in twenty years, and despite pressure the suitors place on her to remarry, Penelope never loses faith in her husband. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". a. allows suspense to build c. foreshadows the ending b. Whenever people hear the word hero, they portray in their minds a perfect person, who always choose the correct decisions, and saves many people; but not all heroes demonstrate a flawless life and deserve the title hero. Penelope is married to the main character, the king of Ithaca, Odysseus (Ulysses in Roman mythology), and daughter of Icarius of Sparta and Periboea (or Polycaste ). At some points, she even wished for death: Would that pure Artemis would even now give so soft a death, that I might no more waste my life away with sorrow at heart, longing for the manifold excellence of my dear husband, for that he was pre-eminent among the Achaeans. The epithets used throughout the poem show how Penelope's strength and cleverness that allow her to manipulate the suitors and avoid marriage. Famous for her beauty as well as her intelligence and faithfulness, Penelope was often seen as the model wife in the ancient world. Homer (eighth century BCE): Penelope is one of the main characters in the Odyssey, especially the epics second half. Thus in the Odyssey books 1 4 you will find several epithets including bright eyed Athena sensible Telemachus, rosy fingered dawn and wise Penelope. In his third and final story featuring Odysseus, Hermes relates what happens when Odysseus comes home to his wife, Penelope. The epithets associated with Penelope throughout the poem include: These epithets, some of which are repeated many times, give a good sense of her personality. Who is Penelope? These examples are from the Penguin Classics translation: if you are reading a different translation, they may appear in a . 17.624 the patient man (Odysseus) 17.667 the canny prince (Telemachus) Telemachus, Penelope and Odysseus' son, is finally able to get to know his father and all of them live happy lives. When Odysseus encounters Antikelias ghost in the underworld, he says to his mother, Tell me about the wife I married, what she wants, what she is thinking (Book 11, lines 176-177). The Odyssey describes Odysseus' long. Despite these offers, Odysseus never wavered in his desire to return to his wife and son. Updated 1 minute 7 seconds ago|3/3/2023 12:21:01 AM. What happens to Eumaeus in this setting is abduction by a Sidonian woman. Menelaus assembled an army of all the greatest kings and heroes of Greece, and Odysseus was forced to join. John Tzetzes on Lycophrons Alexandra 792. Chaucers Wife of Bath has similar independence and cunning, but she makes her name as a domineering lady that chooses who she wants, and when she wants them. Penelope rejects all the offers of marriage from her suitors because they believe that Odysseus died on his way back from the Trojan War. Chapter 17. Penelope may have good mythological reasons for assuming the role of a solar consort to Odysseus: it is not an. However, Penelope is not a pasteboard figure. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus is repeatedly referred to as "many-minded," Penelope as "prudent," and Telemachus as "sound-minded." 2 What are examples of epithets in the Odyssey? Penelope's scheme is eventually revealed by her traitorous maidservant Melantho, who developed a carnal relationship with one of the suitors. Hyginus (first century CE or later): The Fabulae, a Latin mythological handbook incorrectly attributed to the writer Gaius Hyginus, contains sections on Penelope. The Odyssey, Book 19, lines 99-104. All Rights Reserved. In the great epic poem by Homer, Odyssey, Odysseus embodies the classic hero quality Greek culture respectsbravery and intelligence. She is a complicated woman with a wry sense . She undergoes many years of hardship, but eventually she finds happiness again. Theopompus of Chios, FHG 1 F 114 (cited in John Tzetzes on Lycophrons Alexandra 806); Servius on Virgils Aeneid 2.44. Her lie gives Odysseus a crucial advantage in the physical fight against the suitors as he comes back to a city and household where Penelope.