Odysseus ans the swineherd go into the city where they meet Melanthius, who insults Odysseus and trues to push him off of the path. Odysseus wants to hurt him, but he controls himself and just takes it. Then, Odysseus and the swineherd go to Odysseus’ home and stay for dinner. Before they go inside, Odysseus sees the dog that he bred sitting in a dung heap. Once Odysseus is inside, Telemachus comes up withthe plan for Odysseus to beg from each of the suitors in turn to see which of them are decent people. Only Antonious refuses him, insults him, and throws a stool at him. Everyone is astounded by his actions.
As I returned home at last and I saw my dog, Argus sitting in the dung pile. I am told that in his glory days, he was an amazing dog that could do anything, but now he is old and forgotten, just I will be. “Now , his master gone, he lay neglected/in the dung of mules and cattle outside the doors” (Book 17 Line 321-322). Some day, it will be me sitting on that dung heap, wasting away as the younger people go about their day. Hopefully that day will not come for some time.
