14 The Trial of the Axes

CHAPTER 14 The Trial of the Axes Penelope had given the matter much thought. As much as it pained her, she decided her husband must be dead. There was no way he was coming back. She had to move on with her life. She had to choose one of the suitors to marry. Penelope decided she would hold a contest —a test of skill for the suitors. She took a small key out from her secret hiding place. She went into the storage room and found what she was looking for. Leaning against the wall was an old, spare bow of her husband's,

and a bag full of arrows. Penelope walked into the courtyard where the suitors had gathered after eating. Her maids followed behind her. She reached the center of the circle of men and cleared her throat to make an announcement. "Since it seems you will not give up," she said loudly, "I finally have. Although I will never forget my husband, I will marry one of you." The suitors cheered. Penelope raised her hand to stop them. "Not so fast," she said. "I am not finished. I will marry the one of you who can pass this test. String this bow and send an arrow flying in a straight line. It must fly through the holes of twelve axes. I shall arrange these axes so they stand up in a straight line on the ground." The suitors were excited for the challenge. Telemachus didn't like it, but it was clear his

mother was insistent. He was also certain that his father would somehow manage to compete with the suitors. Odysseus would surely beat them all. "Come on, then!" Telemachus said. "Let us get this contest started." The suitors cheered, ready to play. Penelope arranged the axes upright in a straight line on the ground. The holes of the axes were lined up perfectly. All the suitors had to do was shoot the arrow straight through the twelve holes. To Telemachus, it looked easy. He tried first to complete the task, to see if it could be done. But he could barely even string the bow. One after the other, the suitors took their turns with the bow. Some tried warming the bow or softening it with grease to make it easier. But most of the suitors were not strong enough to string the bow. This meant they could not even try to shoot the arrow

through the axes. The last two suitors to try were the most outspoken and bold. These two men thought they would have no problem completing the challenge. They each bent down to string the bow. Both of them struggled. While the group was distracted, Odysseus stepped out of the courtyard. He asked Eumaeus and another loyal farmhand, Philoetius, to join him. Odysseus asked them, "If somehow Odysseus were to come back today to challenge the suitors, would you stand by him?" They both said "yes" right away. Odysseus told them who he was. "It is I," he said, "your Odysseus. I have suffered much. I have traveled for a long time. Finally, after twenty years, I am back in my own country." As proof, Odysseus showed them the scar

on his leg. Even though he was still disguised as the beggar, the two men recognized his scar. Just like the old nurse had, the men threw their arms around Odysseus. They cried with joy and relief at his return. "Enough," Odysseus said gently. "Let us go back now. I know the suitors will try to stop me. But I want to take my turn stringing that bow." Odysseus instructed Eumaeus to send all of the women, except Penelope, upstairs to a safe place. He explained that a battle might occur. If so, it would be dangerous. "The women must not come back downstairs, even if they hear an uproar," he said. "And lock the doors of the courtyard. None of the suitors should be able to get out." The men went off to complete their tasks. Odysseus returned to the courtyard.

Meanwhile, the suitors were still trying to string the bow. One of them was warming it by the fire. Even though he was the strongest of all the suitors, he could not string it, either. He looked very frustrated. "I don't even mind that I can't marry Penelope," he confessed. "What I mind is that Odysseus strung this bow, and we cannot!" Odysseus, still disguised, had made his way back into the courtyard. He walked over to the row of axes. "Let me try my hand at this challenge," he said to the suitors. The men laughed at him, but nervously. After all, it would be humiliating if this beggar could string the bow. One of the suitors spoke. "Wretched creature," he said. "Why even bother? Even if you string it, do you really think the fair Penelope would ever choose you?"