Odysseus returns to Ithaca
Athena disguises Odysseus; he reclaims home through patience and a test of the bow, completing nostos.
The end of nostos. After ten years of war and ten of wandering, Odysseus reaches Ithaca. Athena disguises him as a beggar. He tests loyalties, reveals himself to his son Telemachus, and, in the hall, strings the bow that none of the suitors can string.
Values on display
Xenia has been abused by the suitors who ate his house. Metis finishes what strength started at Troy. Poseidon’s anger is spent enough that Zeus and Athena can close the poem. Homer’s last books are as much about recognizing the hero as about fighting.
Verify
Read a translation of Books 13–24, or a classroom excerpt of the bow contest. Then return to the Odyssey journey discussion questions on cleverness versus strength.
Related on StudyQuest
Further reading
Recommended, age-appropriate books to explore this further. Links open a library catalog search.
Key Takeaways
Nostos means homecoming; this is the poem’s payoff
Athena’s disguise and the bow contest are the climax of metis
The suitors’ abuse of hospitality is punished
Key Figures
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