Homer's Odyssey, Book 24

“Living proof — and Laertes' knees went slack, his heart surrendered, recognizing the strong clear signs Odysseus offered. He threw his arms around his own dear son, fainting as hardy great Odysseus hugged him to his heart until he regained his breath, came back to life…”

Art: Odysseus visiting his father Laertes (engraving) by Preller, Friedrich the Elder (1804-78). Illustration from Homer's Odysee (Alphons Duerr, Leipzig, 1877).

Odysseus is restored to his rightful place in Ithaca, but the story doesn’t end with feasting and celebration. Instead, what we witness is the quiet restoration of peace and order. Book 24 brings much-needed closure for everyone, including Odysseus himself. The shades of the suitors make their way down into the Underworld. And now, Odysseus must navigate the restoration of his kingdom, and of his own life, having been absent for so long. As we return to family, peace, and the kingdom lost to him for so long, it’s now time for Odysseus to reunite with his father, Laertes, just as he himself reunited with Telemachus. This reunion teaches us that the familial bonds of love, loyalty, and memory can survive even the longest separation. As father and son embrace and stand together, we witness the restoration of lineage, and the strength of blood that anchors the kingdom. And in that moment, we realize: Odysseus’s return is also about the healing of generations, ensured at great sacrifice. And the stage is set for the beginning of Aeneas’s journey in Virgil, as he carries his father on his back, away from the burning ruins of Troy.