Odyssey Study Guide Contents

Odysseus (disguised as a ragged, old beggar) finds his swineherd, Eumaeus, who has just sent off a boar to the suitors. Eumaeus asks the stranger to eat, saying every beggar comes from Zeus, and slaughters two small pigs, which he mixes with barley and serves with honeyed wine. After eating, the beggar asks Eumaeus questions about his master. Eumaeus is convinced Odysseus is dead.

The beggar says he wants a reward of nice clothing in return for his good news that Odysseus is returning.
Eumaeus tells the Odysseus-beggar that Telemachus grew up well, but then became imbalanced by a god and has set off to Pylos to find word of his father. Telemachus doesn't know the suitors are lying in ambush. Then Eumaeus asks for the beggar's story.

The Odysseus-beggar tells him it could take a year to tell and then begins. He is the son of a rich man and comes from Crete. His mother was a concubine and when his father died, the sons of the legal wife gave him a pittance. He won a wealthy wife, sailed, and fought in wars. Before Troy, he had led 9 raids and taken the lion's share of the spoils. When the Trojan expedition was underway, he and Idomeneus were asked to head a fleet. After the war, he went home, where he stayed only a month before heading to Egypt. His men plundered and ravaged the Egyptian countryside, but then the Egyptians retaliated. He flung off his helmet and spear and ran to the Egyptian king, who pitied him and lifted him into the war car.

He stayed there for 7 years amassing a fortune. Then came a Phoenician who tricked him into accompanying him. The Phoenician planned to sell him, but a storm destoryed the ship. A mast saved the beggar. He wound up in Thesprotia where its king treated him well and told him about Odysseus whose wealth he had stowed. Then the beggar went to Dodona to hear the will of Zeus. His crew then took his clothing and left him tied up in a boat along the shore of Ithaca. The crew had gone to find food. The beggar managed to get out of the rope and went ashore where he found Eumaeus.

Eumaeus is moved by all the misery the Odysseus-beggar suffered; however, he doesn't believe him about Odysseus. Eumaeus tells about the last person, an Aetolian, who talked about Odysseus' survival. He won't respect the beggar for his lie, but for fear of Zeus.

The Odysseus-beggar says Eumaeus is too suspicious and asks him to make a deal. If he's lying, Eumaeus can push him off a cliff, but otherwise, he must promise to dress him well.

Eumaeus says he'll be ill-thought of if he throws the beggar off the cliff. He then calls for a fattened hog for all six of them to enjoy, makes offerings to the gods, and after serving the gods, gives the most honored part to the beggar. After feasting they go to bed.

It had been raining and it is cold. The Odysseus-beggar wants a cloak, so he tells a story about conniving a cloak and asks for one. Eumaeus tells him he'll have it for the night, but they don't have any extras. He'll have to wait until Telemachus returns.

Eumaeus puts skins on the bed and throws his cloak over the Odysseus-beggar. He then dresses himself warmly, with sword, cloak, cape, and lance and goes outside to sleep under a crag near his pigs.

Quiz on Odyssey Book XIV

Book XIII Summary

Read a Public Domain translation of Odyssey Book XIV.
Next: Major Characters in Book XIV, Notes Book XIV