NovelGuide: Odysseus: Novel Summary: Chapters 13-14

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Chapters 13-14

Chapter 13: Finished with his story, the Phaiakians offer Odysseus a ride home on their ships that are blessed by Poseidon so that they travel faster than any normal ship.� The Phaiakians sail him to Ithaca very quickly, and leave him asleep on the shore.� Poseidon is angry that the Phaiakians have helped an enemy of his, and so he turns their boat to stone, but spares their city because Zeus tells him to.�� When Odysseus wakes up, he thinks that he is not in Ithaca, but Athena appears to him in a disguised human form and tells him that he is.� Odysseus lies to her when she asks him who he is and where he comes from.� She then reveals himself to her, and praises and chastises him for his artful lying.� Athena explains that Poseidon's anger kept her from helping him more than she had.� Odysseus sets up in a nearby cave, and Athena helps him become more deceptive by changing his appearance so he can travel in Ithaca unrecognized.
Chapter 14: Odysseus travels to the home of Eumaios, who was a loyal servant and pig shepherd for Odysseus.� Eumaios offers him food and a place to stay, and proves his loyalty to the disguised Odysseus.� Odysseus lies to Eumaios when asked who he is and where he comes from.� He pretends to be a veteran of the Trojan War, on the Trojan side, who had troubles in Egypt.� He even pretends that he has heard news that Odysseus has died.� Eumaios doesn't quite believe Odysseus, but still treats him well, sharing what food and comfort he has.�� Odysseus asks for some clothing in a tricky way, by telling a story, and Eumaios willingly gives it to him and lets Odysseus sleep in his bed, while he sleeps with his pigs.�