Odysseus' Test Of Fidelity For His Maid

In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus determines the faithfulness of his maid, Penelope, by testing her. Penelope is portrayed as virtuous when it comes to men, holding out hope for her husband's safety and having no other relationships during his 20-year absence. To test her faithfulness, Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, provides convincing evidence that he knew her husband and shares specific details about Odysseus' clothing and comrades. Penelope, suspicious, tests him further by revealing a contest to select a husband, involving a feat only her husband has performed before: shooting an arrow through a row of twelve axes. Odysseus approves of her plan, and she eventually accepts him as her husband when he succeeds in the challenge.

Odysseus identifies the disloyal maid Melantho by her behaviour

In Greek mythology, Melantho is one of the minor characters in Homer's Odyssey. She is described as a disloyal maid of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, and the sister of Melanthius, a goatherd in Ithaca.

Melantho was among Penelope's favourite female slaves, who treated her as her own child and gave her many presents and trinkets. Despite this, Melantho was disloyal and ungrateful to both Penelope and Odysseus. She slept with Eurymachus, one of Penelope's suitors, and became his mistress. This enraged Odysseus and caused him to lose trust in her.

Melantho's behaviour towards Odysseus, who was disguised as a beggar, further demonstrated her disloyalty. She spoke to him harshly and rudely, not recognising him as her king. Her sharp tongue and disrespectful attitude contrasted sharply with the kindness and favour she had received from Penelope.

Odysseus' wife Penelope is portrayed as virtuous and faithful

In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus's wife, Penelope

Odysseus sleeps with other women during his journey

In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus sleeps with two women during his journey: Circe and Kalypso (or Calypso). With Circe, he even produces a son, Telegonus.

Odysseus's journey is a long one, and he is forced to share a bed with Kalypso for seven years. Eventually, he grows homesick and longs to return to his wife, Penelope. He is offered divinity by Kalypso in exchange for staying with her, but he refuses. He says:

> Goddess and mistress, don't be angry with me. I know very well that Penelope, for all her virtues, would pale beside you. She's only human, and you are a goddess, Eternally young. Still, I want to go back. My heart aches for the day I return to my home.

It is important to note that the concept of marital fidelity in ancient Greece was different from modern notions of faithfulness. Marriage was not based on romantic love but was instead a means of consolidating land ownership, bearing children, and maintaining the economic foundations of families. Virginity before marriage and chastity after marriage were expected norms for women. Men, on the other hand, were expected to play around, as evidenced by Kalypso's comment:

> You gods are the most jealous bastards in the universe— Persecuting any goddess who ever openly takes

> A mortal lover to her bed and sleeps with him.

Despite Odysseus's dalliances, he is considered faithful in the Odyssey because of his commitment to returning to his wife and reclaiming his lands, son, and identity as a Greek freeborn landholder. Penelope, too, is considered faithful because she waits for Odysseus and protects his property and identity in his absence.

Odysseus' wife Penelope waits 20 years for her husband's return

In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus's wife, Penelope, waits twenty years for her husband to return home from the Trojan War. During this time, she is pursued by over a hundred suitors, led by Antinous. To delay remarriage, Penelope devises a plan, telling her suitors that she will choose a new husband when she has finished weaving a burial shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes. Every night, for three years, she undoes the day's work, until her slave Melantho discovers her deception and reveals it to the suitors.

Penelope's actions are often seen as a symbol of her fidelity and loyalty to her husband. However, some scholars, such as Italian philosophy historian Giula Sissa, argue that Penelope's behaviour towards her suitors is not simply a delaying tactic but also a response to her own desires. According to Sissa, Penelope "gives her suitors the opportunity to demonstrate themselves as the best candidate for her attention". She argues that Penelope is reacting to the "erotic desire" of the men and invites them to prove their worth "in terms of something extremely personal and physical".

When Odysseus finally returns home, he is disguised as an old beggar and discovers that Penelope has remained faithful to him. To test his identity, Penelope announces that whoever can string her husband's rigid bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads may have her hand in marriage. Only Odysseus is able to string the bow and win the contest, after which he reveals himself and proceeds to slaughter the suitors with the help of his son Telemachus, the goddess Athena, and two slaves.

Penelope, however, is still unsure that her husband has truly returned and gives him one final test. She asks her slave Eurycleia to move the bed in their bridal chamber, knowing that one of its legs is a living olive tree that Odysseus had crafted himself. When Odysseus protests, Penelope finally accepts that he is indeed her long-lost husband, and the two are reunited.

Odysseus' wife Penelope uses a ruse to hold off her suitors

In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus's wife, Penelope, is renowned for her fidelity to her husband, despite the attention of over a hundred suitors during his twenty-year absence. She devises numerous cunning strategies to delay choosing a new husband from among her suitors, including weaving a burial shroud for Odysseus's elderly father, Laertes, by day and undoing her work each night. She claims she will select a suitor when the shroud is complete, but in reality, she is waiting for Odysseus to return. This ruse works for three years until a slave, Melantho, discovers her deception and reveals it to the suitors.

Forced to come up with another plan, Penelope announces an archery contest, stating she will marry whoever can string Odysseus's bow and fire an arrow through twelve axe heads. Knowing that only her husband would be skilled enough to achieve this feat, she uses the contest as a way to identify him in disguise. As expected, none of the suitors can string the bow, but when Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, steps forward, he easily shoots an arrow through the axe heads. He then reveals himself to Penelope, and they are reunited.

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