during all this time, penelope has been keeping the suitors at bay with a ruse (trick). she promises "i will choose when i have finished weaving this cloth", the cloth being a burial cloth for odysseus' father. however, every night her servant unpicks the work of the previous day. the story is made more real by penelope becoming restless. the goddess athena causes penelope to feel the need to display herself, and fan the flames of the suitors' desire.