Dolius

Dolius is the elderly gardener and loyal servant of Odysseus's household, given to Penelope by her father Icarius upon her marriage. He appears in the final books of the Odyssey as a faithful retainer who, along with his sons, joins Odysseus in the climactic battle against the suitors' kinsmen, only to have his own son Melanthius and daughter Melantho numbered among the disloyal servants whom Odysseus punishes.

Identity and Background

Dolius was given to Penelope by her father Icarius as part of her marriage portion, and he serves as the gardener on Laertes's country farm. He is the father of Melanthius, the goatherd who sides with the suitors and insults Odysseus, and of Melantho, the maidservant who is the lover of Eurymachus and who taunts the disguised Odysseus. Dolius also has several other sons who work on the farm. When Penelope, in her anguish over Telemachus's secret voyage to Pylos, calls for Dolius to be sent to Laertes with news, she refers to him as "old Dolius," indicating his advanced age and long service.

Role in the Final Conflict

After the slaughter of the suitors, Odysseus, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius go to the farm of Laertes. There they find Dolius and his sons gathering thorns to make a fence for the vineyard. When Dolius sees Odysseus and is certain it is he, he stands lost in astonishment, but Odysseus scolds him good-naturedly and tells him to sit down to dinner. Dolius then puts out both his hands, seizes his master's hand, and kisses it at the wrist, saying, "Sir, we have long been wishing you home: and now heaven has restored you to us after we had given up hoping." He asks whether Penelope already knows of Odysseus's return, and Odysseus tells him she does. Dolius's sons then gather around Odysseus to give him greeting and embrace him one after another before taking their seats in due order near their father.

When the kinsmen of the slain suitors, led by Eupeithes, march on Laertes's farm to attack Odysseus, Dolius and his six sons put on armor alongside Odysseus, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius. Laertes and Dolius also arm themselves, described as "warriors by necessity in spite of their grey hair." They open the gate and sally forth, with Odysseus leading the way. In the ensuing battle, Laertes kills Eupeithes with a spear, and the Ithacan forces are routed after Athena intervenes and commands peace.

The Irony of His Position

Dolius's loyalty stands in stark contrast to the treachery of his own children. Melanthius, his son, actively aids the suitors during the battle in Odysseus's hall, bringing them arms from the store-room, and is captured, tortured, mutilated, and left to die by Eumaeus and Philoetius on Odysseus's orders. Melantho, his daughter, is one of the twelve maidservants who have been sleeping with the suitors and who are hanged by Telemachus. Dolius himself appears unaware of his children's fates when he greets Odysseus; he asks whether Penelope knows of the return, but says nothing of Melanthius or Melantho. The narrative does not record any reaction from Dolius when he later learns what has happened to them, leaving the emotional weight of this family tragedy implicit.

Narrative Significance

Dolius serves as a representative of the older generation of loyal servants who have remained faithful to Odysseus throughout his long absence. His presence at Laertes's farm, along with his sons, provides the manpower needed for the final battle against the suitors' kinsmen. His character also embodies the theme of divided loyalties within a single household: the same father who fights beside Odysseus has children who betrayed him. The name "Dolius" itself may be ironic, as it suggests cunning or guile, yet the character is presented as straightforwardly loyal. His role, though brief, completes the picture of Odysseus's household as a complex web of fidelity and betrayal, where even the most trusted retainer can have treacherous offspring.