Eumaios

I give you this charge- lead this wretched stranger up to the city so that he can beg for his supper there.

Just before Telemachos left Eumaios' pig farm to see his mother, he said to Eumaios:

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Pig farm

Area around farm and palace

Telemachos leaves around seven o' clock, but Odysseus is waiting and says to Telemachos:

It is early in the morning of december 19th and I can tell you from experience that it can be really cold in de morning. It is strange that Eumaios told Odysseus that it is far to the city, the route to the palace over Hermes Hill is only 1 hour and 15 minutes. But after a while Eumaios says:

But go! This man will lead me, just as you bid, once I've warmed myself at the fire and the sun grows warm. These clothes I wear are shamefully poor, and I am afraid that the morning frost may wipe me out. For you say that it is far to the city.

So come now, let us go. The day grows old, and it gets chilly when it gets toward night.

It is strange again that Eumaios is warning for the chilly night. But it's clear now, Eumaios is going to walk a longer route to the city. But why? On the day that Odysseus arrived at Eumaios' hut Homer writes:

The pig herder was always sending in the best of all the fatted hoggs,

Three of his boys were off with the droves of swine-one here, one there-and a fourth he had sent to town to take a porker to the arrogant suitors.

But today Homer writes:

The dogs and herdsmen stayed behind to protect the farmyard.

Today, Eumaios is bringing the porker to town. Eumaios is dedicated to deliver a perfect porker.

Eumaios walked this route for the hoggs to be in perfect condition, well fed and unstressed. Athena says about the pigs, that they are...

... eating acorns that satisfy the heart and drinking black water, which cause the rich fat on pigs to increase.

So, we have to find the longer path to the city that brings plenty of water and plenty of acorns.

Palace

Arethousa

Korax

They must have waited till noon.