The hero of epic is odysseus, the most intelligent of the reek chieftrains. Driven out of his course after he leaves troy. Odysseus undergoes for ten years all kings of perils and temptation before he is able to return to his own kingdom, the island of ithaca.

After years of travelling, he finally gets home and finds his wife penelope beset by suitors. Disquise as a beggar he is able to get in the palace. With the aid of his son telemachus, he slays all the suitors and is united with his wife.

But the old dame, meanwhile had gone to the room of her mistress, laughing aloud with joy, to tell of her husband’s arrival strode she along so fast that her feet did seem in a twinkle: and, by the head of her mistress, she stood, and thus she addressed her:

‘’wake, penelope. Wake, dear child and see with your own eyes what you have longed to see, and prayed for days without number. He has come back to his home at last, the godlike odysseus, and he has killed those men, the haughty suitors, who long time rudely coerced his son, and robbed his house and possessions.

Like the suitors, she misreads appearances and assumes that Odysseus is dead and gone forever. Even though Odysseus like some daemon haunts her dreams, Penelope rationalizes that dreams can be true or false and that her dreams about her husband must be false.  If Odysseus is any more "real" than a figment of her imagination, she demands proof of it. Whenever she hears stories about Odysseus' survival, she devises tests to prove the credibility of the stories.

The beggar tells Penelope that he is Aithon, a brother of Prince Idomeneus of Crete, and that he entertained Odysseus with great hospitality when Odysseus was on his way to Troy twenty years earlier. Penelope is suspicious of this false story, because it seems that the beggar is simply claiming that hospitality is owed to him in return for his supposed hospitality to Odysseus in the past. So she tests the beggar's credibility. If the beggar can tell her what Odysseus was wearing twenty years earlier, when the beggar claims to have seen Odysseus, then surely the beggar must be telling the truth, she thinks.

Remarkably, the beggar can tell Penelope exactly what Odysseus was wearing, down to the smallest details, so she is satisfied that his story is true, though we are fully aware that it is false. Her test of the beggar is a superficial one.

I will give you a proof which even yourself will acknowledge: do you remember the scar where the tusk of the wild boar gushed him?

When I was washing his feet, I noticed this, and I wanted sorely to tell you: but this he perceived in an instant, and firmly closed my mouth with his hand, that not one word could I utter. But, if you follow me now, I will pledge myself as surely, and if I play you false, then put me to death without mercy.

She went down the stairs, and much in her mind did she ponder whether to stay at distance, and ply her husband with questions. But when she entered the hall, and had crossed the stone-paved threshold.

Then she sat down by herself, in the firelight, facing odysseus, close to the opposite wall: nut her lord was sitting in silence hard by a pillar, with downcast eyes, and wondering whether ever a word would come from his wife when at last she had seen him. Long did she sit without speaking, by contrary impulse bewildered. Sometimes she met his eye, and then with sudden revulsion, could not believe that this ill-clothed man was really her husband. Telemachus speak in reproof, and thus he addressed her: mother! Strange mother indeed, with spirit so stern and unfeeling why do you stay like this, so far from my father. And do not sit by his side and ask him of all his trial and adventure?

No other woman than you, with such unnatural coldness, would keep away from her husband, who worn with hardships uncounted.

Now, in the twentieth year, had come to the land of his fathers.

But it was always so your heart is more hard than a milestone. Patience my son, for the heart in my breast is bewildered and doubtful. But if he is really odysseus safely returned, why then we shall soon understand one another: for we have signs, we two, which none but ourselves may discover.

Odysseus says, leave your mother, my son, to ask what questions she pleases. As I now am dirty and clothed in villainous garments, there she does not respect me nor own me as really her husband. Odysseus says to good nurse to make him a nice bed where he may sleep: for I think your mistress heart is of iron.

The prudent penelope answered: ‘’I am not haughty, my lord, nor too

obsequious either, nor do I wish to slight you, for well indeed I remember what you were like when your long-oared ship sailed out of the harbor.

But come, nurse eurycleia, make ready the massive old bestead out the door of the room which his won hands builded so strongly:

Carry the bedstead outside, and spread soft bedding upon it, wrappers and fleeces of sheep, and glistening rugs for his comfort.’’

She speak to test what her lord might know; but odysseus, answered in anger and spoke to his wife too cautiously minded:

It grieves me much to hear the word you have spoken. Who, I must ask you, has moved that bed? There a difficult matter even for a skillful man; though of course an immortal from heaven could put it where he liked, and with ease, if so he desired. Though in the prime of life: because there’s a wondrous contrivance hid in that well-wrought bed, which myself and no other invented.

From the trunk, I hewed a bedstead and wrought as a finish inlaid patterns of gold, and ivory varied with silver; and I am telling you this as a token. But, lady I know not whether the bed is still where I fixed it, or whether already someone has moved it away, after cutting the pedestal olive.’’

So did he speak: but her knees gave way, and her heart was a-flutter, as she recalled the tokens which could by no chance be mistaken.

As she burst into tears, she ran to her husband throwing her arms round his neck, and she kissed his head and she sobbed out:

Wont you forgive me, odysseus, for you know, better than all men, what I have suffered, and how the gods have begrudged us the blessing that, till we reached old age, we should joyfully live with each other.