After Odysseus shares his tale with the Phaeacians, Alcinoos gives him many gifts and orders a ship and crew to return him to Ithaca. They arrive on Ithaca at night, and the Phaeacians deposit the sleeping Odysseus on shore with his gifts before sailing away. When he wakes up, Odysseus is initially disoriented and doesn’t recognize his homeland. Soon, Athena appears and confirms that he is back on Ithaca at last. Athena then disguises Odysseus as a beggar to protect him from the suitors who have taken over his household. She instructs him to visit his old swineherd, Eumaeus, who is still loyal and will help him to retake his home.

Odysseus reaches Eumaeus’s hut. Eumaeus greets him warmly and offers him hospitality, though he does not recognize his old master. Eumaeus describes the lawless behavior of the suitors and laments the absence of Odysseus; he has given up hope that the hero will ever return. Odysseus, in disguise, tells Eumaeus that he knows Odysseus is close and will be back on Ithaca soon.