Penelope gets Odysseus's bow out and speaks to all he suitors. She says that she will marry the suitor who can string it and then shoot an arrow through a line of twelve axes. Telemachus sets up the axes and then tries himself, but fails in his attempt to string it. Then the suitors start warming up. However, every one of them tried but they all failed. Odysseus follows Eumaeus and Philoetius and he is sure that them too are still loyal to him, so he decides to reveal his identity through a scar that he had on his foot. He promises to treat them very well if they continue to be by his side and fight against the suitors. When Odysseus returns, Eurymachus has the bow. he feels worthless as he cannot string it because he knows that that only shows how low he is from Odysseus. Antinous suggest to try again the day after, when they were done sacrificing to Apollo, god of the archery. Odysseus demands to use the bow. Everyone in fear he might succeed. Antinous tells Odysseus that wine has one up to his head and that he will bring disaster to himself. Odysseus easily string it up an with the first arrow, he goes through all the twelve axes.
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