Side 2 of the Journey From Troy: Odysseus board game continues Odysseus’ story back on Ithaca. (For the story of his journey there, see our breakdown of side 1).
Back home on Ithaca, Odysseus finds his palace overrun by suitors courting his wife, Penelope. Thinking Odysseus dead, they have been using up his wealth and supplies, overstaying their welcome and disregarding the rules of xenia.
Athena disguises Odysseus as a beggar, so that he can pass unnoticed in the palace. He waits and watches, seeing how the suitors act, and who of his family and slaves are still loyal to him.
He first visits a swineherd, Eumaeus, who is kind to him and shows loyalty to Odysseus (not realising that is who he is hosting). In Eumaeus’ hut, Odysseus reunites with Telemachus, recently back from his own journey, and hatches a plan. Eumaeus brings Odysseus to the palace so that he may ask for xenia from queen Penelope.
Some suitors are outwardly cruel. Many taunt and throw things at him, like Ctesippus who throws a hoof at the beggar Odysseus. Others push him into a fight with another beggar, Irus, instigated by the leader of the suitors, Antinous.
Only one suitor, Amphinomus, shows some kindness to Odysseus. However, he does not heed Odysseus’ warning to distance himself from the other suitors and leave the palace.
Slowly Odysseus decides on his plan, bringing his swineherd Eumaeus, his cowherd Philoetius, and his old nursemaid Eurycleia (who recognises him from an old hunting scar on his leg) into the fold alongside Telemachus.
Penelope, unaware of (or perhaps suspicious of) Odysseus’ presence, and unable to put off the suitors any longer, sets a challenge she knows only Odysseus could complete; she promises to marry whoever can string Odysseus’ old bow and shoot an arrow through 12 axes.
While the competition goes on, Telemachus hides the palace’s weapons, and Eumaeus and Philoetius bar the doors.
None of the suitors are able to complete Penelope’s challenge. When they have all failed, Eumaeus brings the bow to Odysseus in his disguise. Some dejected suitors shout and complain, while others wave it off, thinking the beggar will only make a fool of himself.
The suitors watch in horror as Odysseus strings the bow and makes the shot, perfectly clearing all twelve axes.
Odysseus throws off his disguise, and reveals his true identity to them.
Before they can even process their shock, Odysseus notches a second arrow and shoots the leading suitor, Antinous, clean through the neck as he lifts his cup to drink.
The hall fills with outrage as the suitors still don’t quite comprehend what’s happening. Their secondary leader, Eurymachus, tries to blame everything on Antinous, but when Odysseus in unswayed, charges forward with his sword, and is the second to be killed by Odysseus’ arrows.
Seeing that Odysseus means to kill them all, Amphinomus draws his sword, but is struck down by Telemachus’ spear before he can reach Odysseus.
The battle begins in the hall while Eurycleia, the nursemaid, keeps Penelope and the other slaves out. Odysseus, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius slaughter the suitors, sparing only Phemius the lyre-player and Medon the herald.
Once the suitors have been killed, Odysseus sends Telemachus to kill the slaves that he believes have been disloyal to him.
With the bloodshed over, Telemachus and the remaining loyal slaves keep the noise of the suitors’ revelling up, to delay the citizens of Ithaca suspecting of what has happened.
Meanwhile, Odysseus finally reveals his true identity to Penelope. He has had his chance to test her while he was disguised as a beggar, and now it is Penelope’s turn, not yet believing that this is truly her husband.
Penelope is not ready to welcome Odysseus back into their room, and so instructs Eurycleia to move their bed out of the room, so that Odysseus can sleep in it.
Odysseus is outraged, not because Penelope is suspicious of him, but at the idea that his bed is able to be moved.
Odysseus had built the bed himself, into a living olive tree older than the palace. The suggestion that the bed could be moved would mean someone had cut the olive tree.
Odysseus’ reaction proves to Penelope that he truly is Odysseus, and they reunite with stories of all that has happened in their 20 years apart. Athena holds back the dawn so that they have longer to talk before Odysseus must leave again.
In the morning, word of what has happened spreads, and the families of the suitors are not happy.
Odysseus and Telemachus set of to Laertes’ farm (Odysseus’ father). Here, they reunite with Laertes and prepare to make a final stand against the families of the suitors.
However, Athena steps in to put an end to the bloodshed, making peace between Odysseus and the rest of Ithaca, and ending the story of The Odyssey.
All illustrations by Lizzie Styles (@too.small.for.you on Instagram). You can see more of the game’s artwork on our Instagram page or mailing list.