The Bow of Odysseus

The Bow of Odysseus To quote Crissy, "Book 21 of the Odyssey might be termed 'The Book on the Bow.'" It contains the history of the bow and an account of the contest which marks the beginning of Odysseus' final attack on the suitors. It is by means of the bow that Odysseus disposes with the suitors, retakes control of his household, and fully reclaims his lost identity. But this bow is not only a …

…ecures Odysseus a seat alongside Heracles and the other magical and mythical heroes of the Greek heroic age, a position he has held in the minds of centuries of listeners and readers, and continues to hold to this day.