Why does Odysseus reveal his identity to the swineherd and cowherd during the suitors contest?

Why does Odysseus reveal his identity to the swineherd and cowherd during the suitors contest?

Why did Odysseus reveal himself to the swineherd and the cowherd? Because they professed their loyalty to Odysseus before they knew who he was. What did Odysseus mean when he said in the banquet hall that he would hit “a target no man has hit before”? He would kill Antinous with a well-aimed arrow.

Who are the cowherd and swineherd in the Odyssey?

In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus promises his two servants, Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, three great things: marriages, cattle, houses near his own, and to be “brother-in-arms” of Telemachus, Odysseus’ son.

How does Odysseus prove it is he to the Cowherd and the swineherd?

How does Odysseus test the loyalty of the swineherd and cowherd? Odysseus asks them as a beggar if Odysseus came home if they would bear arms for him or for the suitors. The cowherd wishes for a messages to guide him home and Eumaeus falls praying to heaven for his return.

What is a swineherd in Odyssey?

In Greek mythology, Eumaeus (/juːˈmiːəs/; Ancient Greek: Εὔμαιος Eumaios means ‘searching well’) was Odysseus’s swineherd and friend.

What God does Odysseus call upon for help in hitting the target?

So it must be hugely satisfying for Odysseus to get some payback when he whispers a brief prayer to Apollo and fires an arrow straight through Antinous’s throat. Apollo, among other things, is the god of archers.

Who was the first suitor killed?

He also kills twelve of the maidservants who had slept with the suitors and the goat herder who tried to help them. This brutal and horrific bloodletting began with the death of Antinous. Antinoös is the first to taste Odysseus’ vengeance.

Who is the most loyal in the Odyssey?

The most striking example of loyalty in the epic is, of course, Penelope, who waits faithfully for 20 years for her husband’s return. Another example is Telemachus, who stands by his father against the suitors. Odysseus’ old nurse, Eurycleia, remains loyal to Penelope and her absent master.

What test does Odysseus give the swineherd?

Odysseus tests the loyalty of Eumaeus so that he can really ascertain just what kind of man the swineherd is. Does Eumaeus only treat Odysseus, now disguised as a beggar, well because he hopes for a reward, or does he do it to honor the gods and fulfill his duty to the traveler?

What does swineherd mean in English?

: one who tends swine.

How did Odysseus prove his identity to Penelope?

When Odysseus returns, Penelope doesn’t recognize him and cannot be sure that Odysseus is really who he says he is. She tests Odysseus by ordering her servant Eurycleia to move their marriage bed. His anger, and the fact that he knows the story of the bed, proves his identity.

Is Odysseus justified in slaughtering all the suitors?

In addition to having the justification in order to kill the suitors he also was justified to kill the maids. All they did was aide the suitors. They made no effort to get the suitors out of the house. This is why Odysseus was justified to kill them.

Why did Odysseus go to the swineherd’s house?

Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, walks to the swineherd’s house. Eumaeus invites Odysseus in to eat and drink and tell his story. Odysseus thanks the swineherd for his hospitality, and Eumaeus answers that Zeus decrees that everyone be kind to beggars and strangers. He serves Odysseus two pigs, barley, and wine.

Why are the swineherd and Cowherd described as ” downcast “?

The suitors commondeered this house to feast and drink in day and night, they found no justification for themselves except there just to marry her. Penelope wants to make it as difficult as she can in the hopes no one will be able to win. Lines 41-59: Why are the swineherd and cowherd described as “downcast”?

How did Odysseus test Eumaeus generosity in the Odyssey?

Odysseus decides to test Eumaeus’s generosity: he describes a freezing, snowy night during the Trojan War when he complained to Odysseus that he was about to die from the cold. Odysseus then sent one of his own men on a made-up mission so that he, the beggar, could take his cloak.

How did Odysseus plan to overthrow the suitors?

Odysseus recounts his trip with the Phaeacians and then begins plotting the overthrow of the suitors. He formulates a plan to launch a surprise attack from within the palace: Odysseus will enter disguised as a beggar and Telemachus will hide the palace’s surplus arms where the suitors cannot easily reach them.