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Characterization of Eumaeus: Books 14 and 16 of The Odyssey

Characterization of Eumaeus: Books 14 and 16 of The Odyssey


Eumaeus is a swine heard a servant to Odysseus, Eumaeus is from a noble background he is one of the few remaining people who are faithful to Odysseus. He is law, and God abiding, he is truthful and trustful, and he respects his master and he expresses his yearning for his master, who might be starving or dead, while others eat his animals. He is generally and guinelly concerned for his master’s property.

Eumaeus invites Odysseus to eat and then identify himself this obeys Zeus and follows the proper rule of xenia. Eumaeus treats people well, as here he is taking the worst type of person – Odysseus in disguise as a wretched man but he still takes care to seat his guest as well as a he can given that he is a poor man, as is right in the rules of xenia rituals and he honours and gives Odysseus the disguised old man the choice cut of the sacrifice and he doesn’t forget about the Gods like the suitors do. He dose this such to the extent that Odysseus is delighted at what is happening.

He thinks highly of his master and contrast that with the wickedness of the suitors. Eumaeus says that his master is dead and he is so loyal to Odysseus and his possession that he says that it is for the lost Odysseus that his heart aches and yearns even over his own family where he was born and also the fact that he hasn’t benefited himself since his master left as he could quite easily have done so without his master’s presence he has bought himself a slave with his own resources. Even after Odysseus disguised a slave swears by Zeus and all the other gods, and by the board of hospitality and Odysseus hearth of which he is approaching- a strong oath he swears that Odysseus will return within this month and punish all the suitors- Eumaeus still doesn’t believe him for fear of breaking his own heart and indication of false hopes in the past from other wanderers.

Eumaeus is loyal to Telemachus also and he talks of his grievance for his master. He is concerned on the way in which the suitors impose on his mistress, Penelope, and the profligate manner in which the...

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