There have been many strange happenings in the palace, all centered around that old beggar. Not to long after Antinous threw the chair at him, the other vagabond of the town, Irus, came through the door. He challenged the old man, trying to force him out the door. When the beggar would not comply, and stood his ground. Irus then challenged the man to a fight. We didn't believe that the old man stood a chance against the tramp. We were taken aback when the old man took off his rags to reveal a strong chest and arms. He easily knocked Irus out, and as a reward we gave him a blood-sausage. Wherever the old man came, strange events seemed to unfold. Most recently, there was the example of Penelope's archery contest. To choose the man she would wed, Penelope decided to have a contest. The man who could use Odysseus'  bow to shoot an arrow through the holes of twelve axes would be the man Penelope would marry. This seemed like an easy enough task at first, and I was confident that I could gain Penelope's favor. However, it soon became apparent that none of the suitors could even string the bow, let alone shoot an arrow so accurately. The old beggar then asked for a turn at the bow. We suitors were quite upset. How could this old man even suggest that he would have a chance of winning the contest and Penelope? Penelope then stipulated that if the man won she would give him new clothes and weapons, not marry him. This quelled my fears, and we let the man try. Lo and behold, the man easily shot the arrow through each and every ax. I do not know if this beggar is man or god, but he is quite peculiar.

I am so upset that our plan to kill Telemachus was foiled. How did he figure out that we were lying in wait for him? He must have had the help of some god or goddess, to have known how to avoid our ships. Now, I must lie to Penelope. She overheard our plotting, and was very angry. I was forced to say to her that none of the suitors would dream of hurting Telemachus. I feel rather bad about this. I want her to care about me, and I want to gain her trust. Lying would not be the best way to achieve this. Just today a stranger arrived at the gates of the palace. He was an old beggar, who wanted some scraps of food. I willingly gave him some of my bread. When he came to Antinous, however, there was a conflict. Antinous mocked him, and wanted him to leave. It escalated to a point where Antinous threw a chair at the old man's back. I was shocked! What if the old man had been a god in disguise? Furthermore, Penelope was furious, and asked to speak with the old man in private. I think that this is good for my prospects with Penelope. After all, Antinous was my main rival, and now Penelope is angry at him. I hope that we can successfully kill Telemachus and that Odysseus remains far, far away.

I am still lying in wait to ambush Telemachus. It has been very exciting to have something to do after spending so much time at the palace. I enjoyed the food and drink very much, but it was getting tiresome. However, I am wondering if Telemachus will ever return. It seems that he has been off searching for his father for far too long. I cannot wait to return to Penelope and return to courting her. She is one of the most beautiful women in Ithaca, and yet she refuses to take another husband. However, I am confident that before too long I can gain her favor. I am clearly the best of the suitors, otherwise they would not have chosen me to lead this ambush. I am also the best choice for Penelope because I am willing to to the most to show her my bravery and impress her. I am still aghast at the trickery she used to forestall her choice. It is simply appalling that she would lie to us and be so deceitful. Still, I am willing to forgive her when I return to Ithaca.

Telemachus Missing

I cannot believe that Telemachus has set out to look for his father. It was only a few days ago when we realized that Telemachus was nowhere to be found. We inquired about his whereabouts, and found that he had set sail not long before in search of the lost Odysseus. It seems to be a hopeless task, because Odysseus has missing for many, many years. He must be lost at sea, or off on some distant island being tortured by monsters. He has been gone for far too long, and it is highly unlikely that he is still alive. While Odysseus has been away, my chief goal has been to gain Penelope's favor. No matter how hard I try, she denies my requests. She even resorted to trickery, unraveling her weaving, to try to put of the day where she might have to choose one suitor. Even now she weeps for Telemachus, and will not speak with me. Alhough I doubt that Telemachus will be successful, if he does manage to find his father it will be disastrous  for me. Odysseus will most likely have me killed for trying to woo his wife. Therefore, I must go out to prevent Telemachus from finding Odysseus, lest I lose my own life.