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The Suitors' Unspoken Thoughts |
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The suitors usually behave like braggarts and loudmouths. But even they are occasionally subtle enough to keep their inner feelings secret. This occurs for the first time in book 16. Penelope has heard about the suitors' ambush of Telemachus, and she decides to go down to the hall and question them about this (418330). One of the suitors, Eurymachus, reassures her that none of them would ever consider harming Telemachus (43546). His speech is capped with: |
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So he spoke, encouraging her, but himself was planning
the murder.
(Od. 16.448) |
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Juxtaposing the suitor's real intentions and his speech, the narrator makes clear the insincerity of Eurymachus' 'reassuring' words. Penelope accepts his statement and retreats, but later and this is typical for her tongue-in-cheek character she makes clear that she is aware of the suitors' insincerity:  (18.168). |
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The suitors are insincere not only towards Penelope but also towards Telemachus. Thus when the latter has returned safely from his trip to Pylos and Sparta (notwithstanding the ambush by the suitors) they react as follows: |
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Around him the haughty suitors clustered. They all were speaking
him fair, but in the deep of their hearts were devising evils.
(Od. 17.656) |
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The second half of line 66 occurs several times in connection with Odysseus' and Telemachus' unspoken thoughts (see passages 6 and 14), but its juxtaposition with  underlines the depravity of the suitors. |
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The last instance of unspoken thoughts shows a different aspect of the suitors' negative characterization, their misplaced self-confidence. It occurs in the scene of the bow contest. Before the actual trial begins, Antinous announces that he does not think that any of the suitors will be able to string the bow, since only a man like Odysseus can do this. His speech is capped as follows: |
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