Loyalty as Portrayed in Homer's Odyssey

Why is a dog considered man's best friend? They have dogged devotion day by day, at any time or place, no matter what the situation or circumstance. In Homer's The Odyssey, Odysseus's doughty old dog, Argos, waited for his master's return from the Trojan War, refusing to take his last breath without seeing him one last time. After his return, Odysseus still had to solve many problems in order to regain his kingdom. He always had not only his dog, but also his family and friends supporting him, and all their help assisted him in overcoming the suitors. There are many ways the characters in The Odyssey show their loyalty to Odysseus.

Grief is one way people show their loyalty. When Odysseus did not return from his journey, his father, Laertes, withdrew to his own estate with only an "old Sicilian woman there, who duly looked after the old man out on the estate, far away from the city" (Homer 350). Laertes stayed there mourning for Odysseus, never going to the city to enjoy himself. With his only son presumably dead, he was too stricken to think of taking any pleasure in the festivities of the townspeople. Though Penelope could not exclude herself, she continued to be loyal and would not marry any of the suitors, and she cried every night for her husband, whom she thought was dead. Still, she stayed strong in her resolve to not marry and was admired by many people, who said, "All too much with enduring heart she does wait for him..." (241). Penelope rejected any suggestion of betraying Odysseus and marrying another man, when there was a chance that he was still alive. She did not try to improve her life or make herself happier by remarrying, instead choosing to mourn and grieve over her lost husband. Penelope loved only Odysseus, and she refused to settle for one of the suitors, all of whom she thought were inferior to Odysseus.

Another way loyalty is shown is by obedience during difficult times. Odysseus trusted Eumaios so much that when he first returned to Ithaka, he went to his home. Without even knowing the old man was Odysseus, Eumaios "prayed to all the divinities that they might grant the homecoming of thoughtful Odysseus" (314). When Odysseus revealed himself, Eumaios was excited and did not hesitate in agreeing to help punish the suitors for the wrongs done to his master. Through all those years, he had swallowed his anger at the suitors, and had concentrated on resolutely raising Odysseus's pigs, and when his master returned, his unwavering loyalty broke through. Instead of betraying Odysseus in hope of a reward, he risked his life in the battle and helped Odysseus defeat the suitors. They were at a disadvantage, only four of them against all of the suitors. He knew he could easily be killed, but he trusted Odysseus's judgment that they would win.

Eumaios helped in the final battle, but if Odysseus had not had his faithful men with him on his journey, he would never even have gotten home. They admired Odysseus and did not question any of his commands. He appreciated their submission and said, "So I spoke, and at once they did as I told them" (163). Odysseus led them through many dangerous situations, and sometimes made mistakes, but they always accepted him as the one in charge. When they came to the Cyclops's home, his men wanted to steal everything and go, but Odysseus insisted on waiting for Polyphemos in order to get gifts from him. They ended up getting locked inside the cave for days and watching their companions being eaten two by two. Even after the poor leadership, his men unquestioningly carried out their leader'' plan and bravely jammed the stick into Polyphemos's eye. At Skylla and Charybdis, Odysseus's crew was terrified, especially when Skylla's heads snatched up six men. They did not freeze in fear, but followed Odysseus's directions and paddled away as quickly as they could.

Loyalty is also shown through secrecy and by keeping important information safe. When Odysseus showed Telemachos that he was his father, Telemachos was hopeful that it was true, but he was a little doubtful. After he finally became convinced, he was overjoyed. Odysseus warned him, saying, "If you truly are my own son, born of our own blood, then let nobody hear that Odysseus is in the palace" (248). Telemachos swore to not tell anybody, not even his mother. He understood that if the suitors learned Odysseus was back, they would be alert, which would make the job more difficult. Together they planned the revenge on the suitors in secret, keeping Odysseus's identity hidden until the last moment. When Odysseus was disguised as a beggar, and the suitors were mocking him, Telemachos kept his promise and stayed out of it, in order to keep them from becoming suspicious about why he cared so much about a beggar. Although it hurt him to see his father abused in his own home, he followed Odysseus's directions and restrained himself from harshly punishing the suitors to keep his father's identity hidden. While Odysseus chose to reveal himself to Telemachos, he was accidentally discovered by Eurykleia. Penelope did not believe the old man's story that Odysseus was alive, but she still decided he should be well taken care of, and told Eurykleia to wash his feet. Eurykleia had served Penelope for years and knew Odysseus really well from before the Trojan War. Odysseus forgot about the scar on his foot he had gotten when he was young, and "The old woman, holding him in the palms of her hands, recognized this scar as she handled it" (294). She knew right away who he was, and cried out, shocked. Odysseus asked her to keep it a secret, and she promised she would, after he explained that exposure now would lessen the impact later. She was a strong, faithful servant loyal to the whole family, and was delighted to see Odysseus and eager to see the suitors get their just deserts. She protected Odysseus by not telling anyone, and even kept it secret from Penelope. Odysseus knew Eurykleia was reliable and would not do anything to hurt him.

Though Odysseus was gone for many long years, several people remained loyal to him, and they showed it in different ways. Odysseus's men followed him through dangers while Laertes and Penelope mourned for him at home. When he finally returned to Ithaka, Telemachos and Eurykleia helped him stay hidden until the battle, where Eumaios fought valiantly with him and helped bring about the death of the suitors. Their faith, obedience, and trustworthiness were key to Odysseus's victory, and their unbreakable loyalty helped him regain his rightful position as king.

Work Cited

Homer. The Odyssey of Homer. New York: Perennial Classics, 1999.