That left the great Odysseus waiting in his hall
as Athena helped him plot the slaughter of the suitors.
He turned at once to Telemachus, brisk with orders:
"Now we must stow the weapons out of reach, my boy,
all the arms and armor – and when the suitors miss them
and ask you questions, put them off with a winning story:
‘I stowed them away, clear of the smoke. A far cry
from the arms Odysseus left when he went to Troy,
fire-damaged equipment, black with reeking fumes.
And a god reminded me of something darker too.
When you’re in your cups a quarrel might break out,
you’d wound each other, shame your feasting here
and cast a pall on your courting.
Iron has powers to draw a man to ruin.’"
– Homer
The Odyssey, Book 19, lines 1-14. With some help from Athena, Odysseus draws up his battle plan to fight the suitors. He instructs Telemachus to hide the weapons so that they will be out of the suitors’ reach the next day. Should the suitors question this, his son will say he is worried about a fight breaking out during the guests’ drinking and feasting. In reality Odysseus and Telemachus are the ones who will be starting there fight. This is another example of dramatic irony. It also illustrates Odysseus’ cunning and skills in deception.