The faithful herdsman
Philoetius appears in Book XX, when he arrives with cattle for the suitors and speaks bitterly about their consumption of his master’s herds. He wishes Odysseus would return, and Odysseus, still disguised, promises that he will. The scene establishes him as a second Eumaeus: a servant whose loyalty has survived the absence.
When Odysseus reveals himself in Book XXI, Philoetius weeps and kisses his hand. He is tested along with Eumaeus and passes.
The fight in the hall
In Book XXII Philoetius bars the gates of the courtyard, joins Eumaeus in seizing Melanthius, and fights beside Odysseus and Telemachus. He kills the suitor Peisander, and his presence makes the final battle a household affair rather than a solitary revenge.
His reward is freedom and a place among the faithful. The Odyssey is interested in the people who keep the house running while the hero is away, and Philoetius, like Eumaeus, shows that loyalty is a form of heroic virtue.
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The following entries mention “Philoetius”.