Penelope ( / p ə ˈ n ɛ l ə p i / pə- NEL -ə-pee ; Ancient Greek : Πηνελόπεια, Pēnelópeia , or Πηνελόπη , Pēnelópē ) is a character in Homer's Odyssey. She was the queen of Ithaca and the daughter of Spartan king Icarius and Naiad Periboea. In Greek mythology, Penelope is known for her faithfulness to her husband, Odysseus, even though more than 100 people tried to marry her while he was away. One source says her original name was Arnacia or Arnaea.

Etymology

The name was described by Hesychius as "some kind of bird" and is now often linked to the Eurasian wigeon, a bird Linnaeus named Anas penelope. The ending "-elōps" (or "-έλωψ") was commonly used in Pre-Greek languages to refer to animals that hunt or catch prey. However, the connection between the name and this description is unclear. In folk etymology, the name Pēnelopē (Πηνελόπη) is usually thought to combine the Greek words pēnē (πήνη), meaning "weft" (a thread in weaving), and ōps (ὤψ), meaning "face." This is seen as fitting for a clever weaver whose reasons are hard to understand. Robert S. P. Beekes believed the name was Pre-Greek and similar to pēnelops (πηνέλοψ) or pēnelōps (πηνέλωψ).

Role inThe Odyssey

Penelope is the wife of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, and the daughter of Icarius of Sparta and Periboea (other names sometimes used are Polycaste or Asterodia). She and Odysseus have one son, Telemachus, who was born just before Odysseus went to fight in the Trojan War. Penelope waits for 20 years for Odysseus to return. During this time, she uses clever plans to avoid marrying any of the 108 suitors who want to marry her. These suitors include Antinous, Agelaus, Amphinomus, Ctessippus, Demoptolemus, Elatus, Euryades, Eurymachus, and Peisander.

When Odysseus finally returns, he disguises himself as an old beggar. He finds that Penelope has stayed loyal to him. One of her clever tricks was pretending to weave a burial shroud for Odysseus’s father, Laertes, and saying she would choose a suitor once the shroud was finished. Each night for three years, she secretly unraveled part of the shroud. A servant named Melantho discovered this trick and told the suitors.

Penelope’s actions to avoid remarriage are often seen as a sign of her loyalty to Odysseus. However, the goddess Athena encourages Penelope to appear before the suitors to gain honor from her husband and son. Some scholars, like Italian historian Giula Sissa, suggest that Penelope may have also wanted to explore her own desires while waiting for Odysseus. She gives the suitors a chance to prove themselves as the best candidate for her hand in marriage. Sissa notes that Penelope sometimes expresses uncertainty, even asking the goddess Artemis to kill her, and seems to consider marrying one of the suitors.

When Odysseus returns in disguise, he challenges the suitors to a contest. He tells Penelope that whoever can string his bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads may marry her. This contest is a key moment in the story, as it allows Odysseus to reveal his identity.

It is unclear whether Penelope knew it was Odysseus during the contest. Some believe she may have set up the challenge so Odysseus could prove who he was. Others think she was simply trying to delay her marriage. When the contest begins, none of the suitors can string the bow, but Odysseus succeeds. With help from Telemachus, Athena, and two servants, Eumaeus and Philoetius, Odysseus kills the suitors.

After the contest, Odysseus reveals his identity to Penelope. He proves who he is by describing the bed in their bedroom, which he built himself from a living olive tree. Penelope finally believes he is truly Odysseus. This moment shows their shared understanding and loyalty, called homophrosýnē (which means "like-mindedness"). The story ends with Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus living together in peace, ruling Ithaca wisely and gaining respect.

Role in other myths

Penelope also appears in the lost Greek epic Telegony, which only survives in a summary. This story was said to be written by Eugamon or Eugammon of Cyrene and is considered a follow-up to the Odyssey. According to Telegony, Odysseus had a son named Telegonus with Circe while he lived on her island. When Telegonus grew up, Circe sent him to find Odysseus. A storm shipwrecked him on Ithaca, and he mistakenly believed the island was not Odysseus’s home. Because he was hungry, he began stealing from it. Odysseus and his eldest son, Telemachus, defended their city. During the fight, Telegonus accidentally killed his father with a spear tipped with the venomous spine of a stingray. After learning his father’s identity, Telegonus brought Telemachus and Penelope to Circe’s island. There, Athena arranged for Telemachus to marry Circe, and Telegonus married the newly widowed Penelope. After burying Odysseus, Circe granted immortality to the other three characters. According to Hyginus, Penelope and Telegonus had a son named Italus, who, in some stories, gave his name to Italy. This legend inspired the lost tragedy Odysseus Acanthoplex by Sophocles.

In some early writings, such as those by Pindar, Pan’s parents are said to be Apollo and Penelope. Other sources, including Herodotus, Cicero, Apollodorus, and Hyginus, describe Hermes and Penelope as Pan’s parents. Pausanias wrote about a story in which Penelope was unfaithful to Odysseus, and Odysseus exiled her to Mantineia after returning home. In the 5th century AD, Nonnus named Penelope of Mantineia in Arcadia as Pan’s mother. Other accounts claim Penelope slept with all 108 suitors who visited Odysseus’s home during his absence and gave birth to Pan as a result. This myth connects Pan’s name (Pán) to the Greek word for “all” (pân). The Odyssey avoids mentioning this version of the story.

Iconography

Penelope is shown in many Greek and Roman artworks, including Attic vase-paintings created by an artist known as the Penelope Painter, who often depicted her. Roman sculptures also show her, either copying or changing designs from classical Greek models. She is typically shown sitting, with her cheek resting on her hand and her legs crossed. These features highlight her long wait for Odysseus, a pose rarely seen in other figures.

Latin tradition

References to Penelope in Latin writings focused on her faithfulness to Odysseus while he was away. These descriptions fit how Roman society viewed marriage, showing the peace and stability of good families. Many famous writers, including Plautus, Propertius, Horace, Ovid, Martial, and Statius, wrote about her. Penelope’s image in Latin texts helped keep her symbol of a faithful wife alive during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This was strengthened when Saint Jerome included her in a list of pagan women known for their purity.