Telemachus, his son, was absent in quest of his father.  He had gone to the courts of the other kings, who had returned from the Trojan expedition.  While on the search, he received counsel from Minerva to return home.  He arrived and sought Eumaeus to learn something of the state of affairs at the palace before presenting himself among the suitors.  Finding a stranger with Eumaeus, he treated him courteously, though in the garb of a beggar, and promised him assistance.  Eumaeus was sent to the palace to inform Penelope privately of her son’s arrival, for caution was necessary with regard to the suitors, who, as Telemachus had learned, were plotting to intercept and kill him.  When Eumaeus was gone, Minerva presented herself to Ulysses, and directed him to make himself known to his son.  At the same time she touched him, removed at once from him the appearance of age and penury, and gave him the aspect of vigorous manhood that belonged to him.  Telemachus viewed him with astonishment, and at first thought he must be more than mortal.  But Ulysses announced himself as his father, and accounted for the change of appearance by explaining that it was Minerva’s doing.

“...  Then threw Telemachus His arms around his father’s neck and wept.  Desire intense of lamentation seized On both; soft murmurs uttering, each indulged His grief.”

The father and son took counsel together how they should get the better of the suitors and punish them for their outrages.  It was arranged that Telemachus should proceed to the palace and mingle with the suitors as formerly; that Ulysses should also go as a beggar, a character which in the rude old times had different privileges from what we concede to it now.  As traveller and storyteller, the beggar was admitted in the halls of chieftains, and often treated like a guest; though sometimes, also, no doubt, with contumely.  Ulysses charged his son not to betray, by any display of unusual interest in him, that he knew him to be other than he seemed, and even if he saw him insulted, or beaten, not to interpose otherwise than he might do for any stranger.  At the palace they found the usual scene of feasting and riot going on.  The suitors pretended to receive Telemachus with joy at his return, though secretly mortified at the failure of their plots to take his life.  The old beggar was permitted to enter, and provided with a portion from the table.  A touching incident occurred as Ulysses entered the courtyard of the palace.  An old dog lay in the yard almost dead with age, and seeing a stranger enter, raised his head, with ears erect.  It was Argus, Ulysses’ own dog, that he had in other days often led to the chase.