Portents

Gather
The Odyssey
Chapter 20
 Portent

-noun
An indication or omen of something
about to happen, especially something
momentous.
 Portent #1
• Zeus sets off a thunderclap and a maid
is heard cursing the suitors.

• This encourages Odysseus and

reassures him of his future conquering
of the many suitors.
 Portent #2
• This omen is of an eagle carrying a
dove in its talons which is the omen of
doom

• Once the suitors see this omen, they

call off their planned murder on
Telemachus.
 One last Portent
* This portent is very grotesque and is
the image of all of the suitors covered in
blood and deformed, eating their last
dinner in Odysseus’ castle whose walls
are also covered in blood.
 Telemachus’ New found
Courage
• After seeing his father for the first time since
his childhood, Telemachus seems to have a
new fire inside of him to fight the suitors off.

• When his father is threatened by a suitor,

Telemachus is offended and claims that if his
father would have been hurt, he would have
killed that suitor.
 Ctesippus
• Ctesippus is a new character in this
chapter. He is a very arrogant suitor
who has courted Penelope.

• He throws a ox hoof at the disguised

Odysseus.