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One of the intriguing details that Homer includes in Odysseus’ homecoming is the brief scene in which Odysseus recognizes his dog, Argos, as he approaches the palace (17:317-360). Consider this depiction on both a literal and symbolic level. What condition is the dog in? How do you think Odysseus feels seeing the dog in such condition? What does this encounter add to the plot and to our understanding of Odysseus’ character? In what ways is Argos the dog symbolic of Odysseus’s estate, his family, or his feelings about himself?"