"Living proof -
Penelope felt her knees go slack, her heart surrender,
recognizing the strong clear signs Odysseus offered.
She dissolved in tears, rushed to Odysseus, flung her arms
around his neck ...
But don't fault me, angry with me now because I failed,
at the first glimpse, to greet you, hold you so ...
In my heart of hearts I always cringed with fear
some fraud might come, beguile me with his talk;
the world is full of the sort,
cunning ones who plot their own dark ends."
- Book 23, p462, lines 230-245, The Odyssey
After the longest 20 years of their lives, the gods have long tested the love between Odysseus and Penelope, ultimately giving them every opportunity to give up on each other after years upon years apart. They have faced overwhelming evidence that they were meant to be apart, with Penelope having countless men to choose from to replace the invaluable Odysseus, thinking she might never rest her eyes upon him again, in addition to the several obstacles and temptations Odysseus faced along the journey back to his native territory. The tests of their love have been so agonizing that the idea of finally reuniting with the love of her life is completely inconceivable. She thinks this must be some sort of cruel joke, a misuse of the skill of cunning. However, when she finally realizes that her dreams have long last become reality, the euphoria is incomparable.
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