Penelope

In order to date Penelope, Odysseus had to beat her father, Icarius, in a foot race. Penelope is married, the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, & daughter of Icarius of Sparta & Periboea. She only has one son with Odysseus, Telemachus, who was born just before Odysseus was called to fight in the Trojan War. She waits twenty years for Odysseus' return, during which time she devises various cunning strategies to delay marrying any of the 108 suitors. On Odysseus's return, disguised as an old beggar, he finds that Penelope has remained faithful. She has devised cunning tricks to delay the suitors, one of which is to pretend to be weaving a burial shroud for Odysseus's elderly father Laertes & claiming that she will choose a suitor when she has finished. Every night for three years, she undoes part of the shroud, until Melantho, a slave, discovers her chicanery & reveals it to the suitors. When the disguised Odysseus returns, she announces in her long interview with him that whoever can string Odysseus's rigid bow & shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads may have her hand. When the contest of the bow begins, none of the suitors are able to string the bow, except Odysseus who wins the contest. Having done so, he proceeds to slaughter the suitors – beginning with Antinous whom he finds drinking from his cup – with help from Telemachus, Athena & the slaves Eumaeus the swineherd & Philoetius the cowherd. Odysseus has now revealed himself in all his glory; yet Penelope cannot believe that her husband has really returned – she fears that it is perhaps some god in disguise, as in the story of Alcmene – & tests him by ordering her slave Eurycleia to move the bed in their bridal-chamber. Odysseus protests that this cannot be done, since he made the bed himself & knows that one of its legs is a living olive tree. Penelope finally accepts that he truly is Odysseus.

Penelope is shown multiple times to be fairly wise, developing multiple challenges for her pining suitors.

Suitors: During Odysseus' long absence, unmarried young men start to suspect that Odysseus died in Troy or on the journey home. Under the pretense of courting Penelope, these youths, called "the suitors", take up residence in Odysseus' home & vie for her hand in marriage. There are a total of 108 suitors: 52 from Dulichium, 24 from Same, 20 Achaeans from Zacynthus, & 12 from Ithaca.

• Antinous: Antinous was the Ithacan son of Eupeithes, & the primary leader of the suitors. He isviolent, mean-spirited, & over-confident, wilfully defiling Odysseus' home while he is lost at sea. Showing no care for Xenia by; organizing an attack on Telemachus, devouring Odysseus' livestock, & showing no respect for Odysseus' servants. Drinking in the Great Hall, he is slain by an arrow to the throat shot by Odysseus. Eurymachus then tries to blame Antinous for the suitors' wrongs
• Eurymachus: Eurymachus was the son of Polybus, & a childhood friend of Odysseus. Even dating Penelope's maid, Melantho. When Odysseus left for Troy, he became one of the two leading suitors, along with Antinous, showing no regard for Xenia. Eurymachus used his childhood ties to Odysseus to try & manipulate Penelope into thinking he would be a good father for Telemachus. He also told lies to Melantho, turning her against Odysseus. When Odysseus came back &  shot Antinous, Eurymachus blames him for all the trouble that had been caused & promising to repay everything the suitors took. After Odysseus declines, Eurymachus runs at him with a sword, but Odysseus shoots an arrow into Eurymachus’ chest, killing him.
• Amphinomus: A prince of Dulichium as the son of King Nisos. He was considered the best-behaved of Penelope's suitors. He was killed by a spear thrown by Telemachus.

Daughter of Spartan king Icarius & Asterodia. Step-cousin of Helen of Troy. Husband of Odysseus, & mother of Telemachus.

• Helen:
• Telemachus:
• Telegonus: Telegonus is Odysseus's son via Circe. After Telegonus killed Odysseus & was revealed to be his son, Penelope adopted Telegonus.

Penelope lived in a time where the Greek gods existed.

Peneleope was born the daughter of a king & therefore is fairly wealthy.