Later that day, in the afternoon to be exact, the suitors are exercising in the courtyard, when Irus, another beggar whom many of the suitors are fond of, arrives at the palace. This vagabond is a big, portly man and quite a braggart. He immediately begins to bully Odysseus, to the amusement of the suitors. He threatens to beat up Odysseus unless he leaves Ithaca at once. Then Antinous arranges a boxing match between the two beggars. Irus struts about, playing the hero and boasting about how he will win easily. When the beggars undress to fight, everyone is amazed at the muscular body of Odysseus. The coward, Irus, now trys to back out, but Antinous will not allow this. Odysseus tries to go somewhat easy on Irus, but ends up breaking the beggar's jaw. The suitors then congratulate Odysseus and give him his prizes for coming out victorious and then retreat inside for dinner. Odysseus tries to warn Amphinomous, the kindest of the suitors, of the impending doom for them, but the young man pays no attention to him.

The suitors feasting

Penelope makes an appearance before the suitors, after carefully grooming herself. The lovely queen expresses her angriness to the suitors about the fight which just took place and scolds them for still exhausting up the resources of her husband's estate. The noblemen are ashamed of this and send for their servants to fetch some gifts from their houses or ships.

At dinner that night Odysseus condemns Melantho, one of the maidservants of the palace, who has become the mistress of Eurymachus, for her lack of loyalty. His jibes drive her and the other serving girls from the hall. He and Eurymachus engage in an argument and the young man throws a stool at Odysseus. Odysseus quickly moves out of harm's way and one of the stewards is hit. Everyone present grows excited and in the uproar Telemachus suggests that they all go home for the night. Despite their surprise at Telemachus' braveness, the suitors do so.

Book XIX

After the suitors leave, Odysseus and his son remove of all the weapons stored there. They hide the arms in another section of the palace locked up. Then Odysseus sends Telemachus to bed. Penelope and her maids now come down to the hall in order to clean it. Melantho and Odysseus again argue, but Penelope scolds the insolent maid.

As the servants work, Penelope and Odysseus talk. She tells him of her husband who has been gone for twenty years and of how she must now pick a suitor because her son is now a grown man. Odysseus is deeply touched by her story and has to strive hard with himself to not reveal his identity. Penelope then inquires Odysseus of himself. The wily beggar creates a tale, with him meeting Odysseus. He even goes on to state that Odysseus is still alive and on his way home.

After they are finished conversing, Penelope has Eurycleia, an old nurse of Odysseus, to clean the tired and worn feet of the beggar. As Eurycleia washes him, she notices an old scar on this leg and realizes that he is Odysseus. She is about to tell the queen when Odysseus sternly admonishes her to keep his identity for the time being. Eurycleia consents.

Penelope returns to Odysseus and tells him that she has chosen a way to pick a suitor to marry her. She decides to hold a contest in which the contestants must string Odysseus' bow and shoot the arrow flawlessy through twelve axes. The winner will become her husband. After this, Penelope goes to her room, and Odysseus prepares a bed for himself on the floor of the deserted hall.