1. Odysseus Waited Out His Wife's Suitors Once He Returned Home
In Homer's The Odyssey, the Trojan conflict took Odysseus from his home for 20 years. He left behind his new bride, Penelope, and in his absence many men came asking for Penelope's hand, as they believed Odysseus had passed. Over the years, Penelope avoided marriage, but her suitors had a habit of hanging around her palace and eating dinner, attempting to woo her, and feeding their scraps to a beggar.
Eventually, her suitors concluded Penelope was toying with their emotions and demanded she choose. Penelope devised an archery contest she deemed unwinnable in return for her hand.
The suitors all failed, but the final man, the beggar, was able to complete the challenge perfectly. He took out each of the suitors with an arrow before revealing himself as Odysseus, having finally returned for his wife.
