As Odysseus lies awake in the great hall of the palace, Athena appears to him and asks him what is wrong. Odysseus admits that he is worried about the battle with the suitors, but Athena reminds him that the gods are supporting him. She then closes his eyes to sleep. The next day, Eumaeus introduces the “beggar” to the cowherd, Philoetius, who is also loyal to Odysseus. The suitors, meanwhile, are feasting and drinking. One of the suitors throws a bull’s hoof at Odysseus, and the suitors break into hysterical laughter. As they mock Odysseus, the seer Theoclymenus sees blood covering the ceiling and the walls and recognizes this omen as a sign that the suitors are about to die.

Penelope enters the hall with Odysseus’s bow and announces that she will marry whoever can string the bow and shoot an arrow through 12 axe heads. Telemachus is the first to try his hand at the challenge, wanting to see if he can match his father’s strength. After he fails, the rest of the suitors attempt the challenge, but none of them can even string the bow.