As I walked toward a hut, watch dogs shot toward me. The owner saved me by scattering the vicious dogs. He invited me in, and offered me much needed hospitality. He started talking about his lord, and he seemed pesimistic on on his return. My return. Eumaios told me about the suitors, and the destruction of my estate. This made me furious, but I couldn't so my displeasure. I told him that Odysseus would have his revenge, but he still denied that I would ever return. He asked for my story and like I always do, I thought of a tale to tell. As I told him of my great adventures, I even added that I had heard of Odysseus traveling on his way home. He was angered by this, and told me never to speak of him again. I was sick of him saying that, so I bet him that Odysseus would come home, or he could have me as a slave. We dropped this conversation, finished our feast, and went to bed.
Eumaios made me very angry because he didn't believe that I would return, but I was pleased that he was still loyal to me. I thought, "...this rejoiced Odysseus' heart, to see him care for the herd so, while his lord was gone," (264). From hearing about the suitors trashing my home and taking my things, there wasn't much to be happy about. But hearing that I have one servant, Eumaios, still respecting me makes me feel a lot better. It shows not all is lost at home.
When I was talking to Eumaios, he wasn't very hopeful about my return to Ithaka. He said, "That tale about Odysseus, though, you might have spared me; you will not make me believe that," (258). There isn't much hope for Eumaios to find. I have been gone for so many years, that it seems unlikely that I will ever make my way back home. He's really sad, and doesn't want to feel worse by hoping I'll return. In difficult situations, people don't want to hope for certain things just to get more hurt later on.
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