Penelope tells the suitors that she will marry one of them if they can bend, string, and shoot Odysseus' bow through twelve ax handles. This is taken place on Apollo's holiday, the god of archery. Here Odysseus still dressed as a beggar, told the swineherd and cowherd that he is in fact Odysseus. Penelope allows the "beggar" to test out the bow. Odysseus tells the nurses to take Penelope and lock themselves in a room. Telemachus took all the suitors' weapons from the great hall. Odysseus strings the bow and arrow and shoots through all the twelve ax handles. Telemachus straps on his armor and the fighting begins.
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