Collection Literature 2026.08.01

Those Who Waited for the Return in Ithaca

An Introduction to Characters Read Through Relationships and Actions of Those Who Kept and Dismantled a House Without a King

#Odysseia #Ithaca #Penelope #Telemachus #Classic Figure

The return in the 《Odyssey》 does not occur solely at sea. While Odysseus stays on Calypso's island, suitors in the palace of Ithaca consume the wealth and pressure Penelope into marriage. Telemachus must seek control of the house without knowing his father's fate. The early story of Ithaca shows the reader why the return is necessary. This text compares the different roles from Penelope to Phimius.

Those who wait are not bound by a single attitude. Penelope weaves by day and undoes the wedding bed at night to buy time and verify the truth, while Telemachus grows into an acting adult through his travels. Eumaeus and Philoetius maintain loyalty during their master's absence, but Melanthius and Melantho side with the suitors. Choices diverge even within the same household. The criteria for reading distinguishing the original events from their later interpretations are also presented.

This list covers not only the family and loyal servants but also the main suitors and the betraying servants, as well as the bard who is forced to sing. It does not justify the ancient patriarchal order and violent punishments with the word loyalty, but examines the range and risks of each character's actions. It serves as a guide to compare who finds recovery and who encounters judgment in the scenes of return. Instead of memorizing names, we look at how choices and results lead to the next scenes.

Penelope

As Odysseus's wife who suffers from the suitors, she weaves by day and unravels the burial shroud for her father-in-law by night, delaying her choice. Even upon the return of her husband, she does not immediately believe him and tests him with the secret of their immovable marriage bed. She is a character who transforms waiting from passivity to a strategy that manages time and information. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Telemachus

Though he was a child when his father left, he goes in search of news to Pylos and Sparta with the encouragement of Athena in the early part of the story. After reuniting with the returned Odysseus at Eumaeus' hut, he participates in the plan to dispose of the suitors after clearing the palace of weapons. His narrative of growth runs parallel to the story of return. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Eumaeus

As the swineherd of Odysseus, he takes care of the estate during the extended absence of his master and treats the disguised stranger warmly. Odysseus, while hiding his identity, tests his loyalty and judgment of the situation, eventually making him a key ally in the revenge plan alongside Telemachus. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Eurycleia

Disguised as a nurse, she washes the feet of Odysseus and recognizes the scar from his childhood wild boar hunt. She demands silence, and Eurycleia keeps her promise. She also plays the role of distinguishing the loyal maidservants from the betraying ones in the palace. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Argos

He is the hunting dog of Odysseus, left to age neglected, lying outside the palace on a pile of dung. He instantly recognizes his master disguised as a beggar, reacts with his ears and tail, and then dies. The recognition of a mute being is swifter than that of humans, compressing the state of the decayed home. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Laertes

As the father of Odysseus, he leaves the palace and lives in sadness and old age on a rural farm. Even after his return, Odysseus proves himself through memories of the scar and the orchard trees. In the final confrontation with the suiters' families, he arms himself again, demonstrating the restoration of the royal lineage across generations. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Antinous

As the most aggressive among the suitors, he ambushes to kill Telemachus upon his return and insults the disguised Odysseus by throwing objects at him. Following the archery contest, he becomes the first target Odysseus aims at. He represents the violence of the suitors who break the norms of hospitality at the palace. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Eurymachus

A key suitor with eloquent speech, he pretends to be kind in front of Penelope but conspires to eliminate Telemachus behind the scenes. After the death of Antinous, he tries to shift all responsibility to him and negotiate compensation with his wealth, but it is rejected. This scene showcases how eloquence can be a tool for evading responsibility. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Melanthius

He is the goatherd of Odysseus's household but sides with the suitors, insulting the disguised master and providing weapons to the suitors from the storeroom during the battle. Eumaeus and Philoetius restrain him from acting. This reveals that choices diverged even among the servants of the same household. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Melantho

She is a maid whom Penelope raised, but she frequently insults the disguised Odysseus while staying close to the suitor Eurymachus. In contrast to Eurycleia, she reveals internal fractures within the palace. The punishment scenes in the work must be read critically in light of the patriarchal order and violence of the time. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Philoetius

As a shepherd of Odysseus's household, he maintains loyalty even after his master has disappeared and laments the reality of the suitors consuming the livestock. He shows kindness to the disguised Odysseus, but once his identity is revealed, he locks the door with Eumaeus and joins the battle. Loyalty is validated through action, not words. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Phemios

As the bard of the Ithacan court, he sings in front of the suitors but claims he was forced into the performance. He escapes punishment through mediation by Telemachus. While Demodocus sings of Odysseus's past, Phemios sings of the present of the occupied home, raising issues of the artist's survival and responsibility. This scene becomes clearer in meaning when we read not only the hero's success but also the choices that delayed the return and their consequences.

Examining the characters of Ithaca reveals that even when Odysseus arrives on land, the return has not ended. He receives Eumaeus' hospitality, plans with Telemachus, and is recognized by Eurycleia through his scar. In the end, Penelope and Laertes confirm identities through shared memories. The home is restored not as a place but through the recognition of relationships. Instead of memorizing names, we observe how choices and results lead to the next scenes.

The distinction between loyalty and betrayal must also consider the characters' status and power relationships. The servants are not modern citizens free to choose a king and had to survive during the long periods when the suitors occupied the palace. While the story clearly contrasts Eumaeus and Melanthius, one should not overlook the reflection of the class and gender order in ancient society when reading punishment scenes. The criteria for reading the original events and later interpretations are also presented.

When reading again, let’s mark the order of who recognizes Odysseus and when. Argos recognizes him immediately, Eurycleia identifies him by his scar, and Penelope rejects hasty acknowledgment, bringing forth the secret of the bed. Each mode of recognition reveals the lives that character shared with the protagonist. The Ithaca section is both the conclusion of a long voyage and another adventure testing memory and trust. In this text, we compare the different roles from Penelope to Phimius.

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