March 16: Women's Month

In ancient Greece, all brides to be dreamed of becoming the next Penelope, mythical wife of Odysseus, who had – reluctantly – participated in the ten-year campaign to Troy. Since he had managed to enrage almost all of his comrades, gods, heroes, demigods, nymphs, monsters and witches, it took him another ten years to get home. All this time, Penelope rejected other proposals, under the pretext of finishing some weaving, which she would undo at night. When exposed, she promised to marry the one that could cock Odysseus’ bow. He returned just in time to do it himself. Next, he not only unalived all the suitors, but also the girls that had been forced to entertain them. He thought that all this unaliving would impress his wife, but she struggled to recognise him. As a test, she asked him to move their bed, which was a fixed construction from a living tree. His answer revealed this intimate knowledge and thus, Penelope knew he was indeed her husband. Now she just had to convince herself he had been worth waiting for.

Penelope, statue, Franklin Simmons, De Young Museum, San Francisco, USA

Odysseus and Penelope, Terracotta Plaque, Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York, USA