On that note,
grabbing an oxhoof out of a basket where it lay,
with a brawny hand he flung it straight at the king –
but Odysseus ducked his head a little, dodging the blow,
and seething just as the oxhoof hit the solid wall
he clenched his teeth in a wry sardonic grin.
Telemachus dressed Ctesippus down at once:
"Ctesippus, you can thank your lucky stars
you missed our guest – he ducked your blow, by god!
Else I would have planted my sharp spear in your bowels –
your father would have been busy with your funeral,
not your wedding here. Enough."
– Homer
The Odyssey, Book 20, lines 333-344. There is further divine intervention here, as Athena inspires the suitor Ctesippus to mock and hurl an ox hoof at the disguised Odysseus. She is intent on increasing Odysseus’ anger to the level that he will rise up and kill Penelope’s suitors who have taken over his palace. The brave Telemachus warns Ctesippus that he is fortunate he didn’t hit Odysseus, or Ctesippus would have wound up on the end of Telemachus’ sharp spear.