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The Odyssey · written by Christopher Nolan · 2026
Scene 171 of 199 · ≈ 5 min on screen · Act two
Twenty years after leaving for the Trojan War, Odysseus fights his way home across a hostile sea only to find his kingdom overrun — and must return in disguise to reclaim his wife, his son, and his throne from the suitors laying siege to his house.
Ithaca frozen in a decade of waiting: Penelope weaving, the suitors feasting, Telemachus unheard.
Telemachus needs proof of his father's fate; Penelope needs the throne secured before the suitors force her hand.
Telemachus sails from Ithaca in secret, crossing into the unfamiliar world beyond his mother's house.
Odysseus's remembered ordeal — Troy, the Cyclops, Circe, Hades, Charybdis — paid for in men, ships, and years, while Telemachus searches the courts of Sparta.
Odysseus makes landfall on Ithaca at last, alone but alive — what he wanted, stripped of everything else.
At Eumaeus's hut, disguised as a beggar, Odysseus begins quietly assembling the plan to reclaim his house.
Penelope announces the trial of the axes and the bow — whichever suitor can string Odysseus's bow and thread the axes wins her hand, forcing the endgame.
Odysseus, disguised, walks through his home town drinking in everything he hasn't seen in twenty years.
The suitors listen to the bard's continuing song as Antinous notices Telemachus slip outside.
Telemachus watches the disguised Odysseus and Eumaeus approach the palace, and sees his father recognize the dying Argus on the dung heap.
This scene
TELEMACHUS
Accept the hospitality of Zeus.
Antinous looks up to see Telemachus INDICATE A PLACE ON THE THRESHOLD for Odysseus to sit amongst OTHER BEGGARS, then HAIL A SERVANT --
TELEMACHUS (CONT'D)
Get the stranger some food.
ODYSSEUS
No, sir. Just let me make the rounds with my bowl.
Telemachus SHRUGS. Heads to his table --
Antinous steps in his path, SPEAKING QUIETLY.
ANTINOUS
You don't have enough guests, so you have to invite some filthy old plate licker to dinner?
Telemachus looks at Antinous. Shakes his head.
TELEMACHUS
What's one more beggar at this feast?
Telemachus CONFIDENTLY BRUSHES PAST ANTINOUS. Antinous, SURPRISED, watches Telemachus move to his table with Eumaeus. Antinous moves to Polybus, as THE BARD IS REPLACED BY DANCERS...
Odysseus, sitting on the threshold, LOOKS UP to where he can see Penelope's silhouette behind the screen.
He stares at the FLICKER from the OIL LAMPS that reveal her...
Antinous, sitting by Polybus, leans in, SPEAKING WITHOUT LOOKING.
ANTINOUS
We have to kill him before he regains his position and goes to the Elders.
Odysseus RISES to make the rounds with his begging bowl...
POLYBUS
How?
Telemachus WATCHES the Suitors react to Odysseus. Most give him BREAD, some MEAT, SOME IGNORE HIM.
ANTINOUS
We provoke him to grab one of those weapons --
He INDICATES the WEAPONS ON THE WALLS. Polybus looks at Telemachus presiding over the feast...
POLYBUS
He's not the same young pup we used to bait...
Antinous looks at Polybus. Hard.
ANTINOUS
Then we come back tonight and cut his throat.
Odysseus SHAKES his BEGGING BOWL at Polybus.
POLYBUS
Fuck off, old man.
ODYSSEUS
Please. It's days since I've eaten.
POLYBUS
ODYSSEUS
You can't be generous with food that's not even yours?
Several of the Suitors LAUGH at this.
POLYBUS
There's no room in your bowl.
ODYSSEUS
Yes, there is.
Polybus takes the rim of the bowl, FLIPS IT OVER, SPILLING THE FOOD ONTO THE FLOOR. FLIPPING IT BACK, he looks into the EMPTY BOWL.
POLYBUS
So there is.
He PULLS some of the BREAD he's chewing out of his mouth and PUTS IT INTO THE BOWL.
POLYBUS (CONT'D)
There you go.
As the other suitors LAUGH, Odysseus PATIENTLY CROUCHES DOWN to put each piece of the spilled food BACK INTO HIS BOWL. Antinous looks at Telemachus, sees his BARELY SUPPRESSED RAGE...
Just as Odysseus's fingertips touch the last piece of bread, Antinous STEPS ON IT. Odysseus stops. SIGHS.
ANTINOUS
Sorry, go ahead.
He LIFTS HIS FOOT off the crushed, filthy bread.
ANTINOUS (CONT'D)
I suppose you want something from me now?
Odysseus gets to his feet, HUNCHED OVER. HUMBLE.
ODYSSEUS
No. I have something for you.
Antinous LAUGHS --
ANTINOUS
You have something for me?
The other Suitors LAUGH at this...
ANTINOUS (CONT'D)
What could a filthy old plate licker like you possibly have that I could want?
Odysseus FUMBLES in his rags.
ODYSSEUS
Actually, it's yours --
He drops SOMETHING into Antinous's bowl. IT IS THE LOT.
ODYSSEUS (CONT'D)
I was asked to return it.
Antinous stares at it. THE NOTCHES ON ITS SIDE...
ANTINOUS
That's not mine.
ODYSSEUS
No?
Antinous PICKS UP THE LOT, STARING AT IT.
ANTINOUS
Where did you get this?
ODYSSEUS WALKS AWAY.
ANTINOUS (CONT'D)
Don't turn your back on me!
Odysseus keeps WALKING -- Antinous PICKS UP A STOOL -- HURLS IT at Odysseus, HITTING HIM HARD ON THE SHOULDER. Odysseus STUMBLES, but doesn't go down. EVERYTHING STOPS, GOES QUIET... Odysseus stands there, DOING NOTHING.
AMPHIMEDON
Antinous, you can't treat a beggar like that.
ELATUS
Zeus's law...
Antinous turns to the ASSEMBLED --
ANTINOUS
Zeus's law?! You think this is a God in disguise?!
He turns to Odysseus WHO IS STILL FROZEN --
ANTINOUS (CONT'D)
Are you?! Are you a God in disguise, plate licker?!
ODYSSEUS
No. I'm a veteran of the Trojan War.
ANTINOUS
What's your name?
ODYSSEUS
Sinon.
Antinous FLINCHES, GLANCING INTO HIS BOWL AT THE LOT...
ODYSSEUS (CONT'D)
Does that name mean something to you?
ANTINOUS
No.
ODYSSEUS
I use it to honour the bravest young man I ever met.
POLYBUS
Wasn't that your shepherd's son?
ANTINOUS
I don't remember --
POLYBUS
He wanted you to take his place.
Antinous PICKS UP THE LOT, moves to Odysseus, GRABBING HIM BY THE SHOULDER, SPINNING HIM AROUND --
ANTINOUS
Where did you get this?!
Odysseus, HEAD DOWN, LEANS IN, SPEAKING SOFTLY...
ODYSSEUS
Where you'll soon be.
ANTINOUS
Where's that?
ODYSSEUS
Hades.
Antinous KICKS ODYSSEUS TO THE GROUND --
TELEMACHUS (O.S.)
ENOUGH!
Antinous and the other Suitors TURN TO TELEMACHUS, SHOCKED.
TELEMACHUS (CONT'D)
The feast is done.
All are SURPRISED by the AUTHORITY OF HIS TONE.
The Suitors start to RISE AND FILE OUT...
The SILHOUETTE of Penelope talks to Melantho, who EMERGES from the screen, HEADING TOWARDS Odysseus, WHO SITS TO ONE SIDE, CURLED UP, avoiding the DEPARTING SUITORS...
Antinous is standing, ENRAGED, STARING AT THE LOT IN HIS HAND. Polybus PULLS on his arm.
POLYBUS
Let's go. Antinous. Come on.
Antinous follows Polybus out, TOSSING THE LOT at Odysseus...
ANTINOUS
This is not mine.
Melantho BENDS DOWN to Odysseus.
MELANTHO
The Queen would like to speak with you.
Odysseus looks at Penelope's silhouette.
MELANTHO (CONT'D)
Stay here until everyone's left and the fires are lit.
Odysseus nods, looking down at his old, filthy hands. Then back to the silhouette...