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Why does Athena disguise Odysseus as a beggar in Ithaca?
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Odyssey: A Reader’s Guide to Homer’s Epic
Engraving of Homer by Hieronymus Wierix, 16th century; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
In Homer’s Odyssey, the goddess Athena disguises Odysseus as an elderly beggar upon his return to Ithaca as a precautionary measure.12
This strategic transformation allows Odysseus to move through his own home unrecognized by the suitors who had occupied his palace and were aggressively courting his wife, Penelope. By maintaining this disguise, Odysseus is able to assess the situation, reveal himself only to trusted allies like his son Telemachus and the swineherd Eumaeus, and ultimately prepare for the final battle to reclaim his throne and household.123