Laertes in the Odyssey is the aging father of Odysseus and former king of Ithaca. Before the Trojan War, he abdicated the throne to Odysseus and retired to a simple life on his farm. During Odysseus' long absence, Laertes lived in grief and solitude, especially after his wife Anticleia died from sorrow over their son's absence. When Odysseus finally returns home after twenty years, he reunites with Laertes, who initially does not recognize him. Odysseus proves his identity by recounting the trees Laertes gave him as a boy, symbolizing their bond and Odysseus' reconnection with his homeland. After their reunion, Laertes helps Odysseus defend his home against the families of the slain suitors, with the goddess Athena restoring his strength so he can kill Eupeithes, the father of Antinous, a leading suitor. Laertes dies three years after Odysseus' return
. Laertes was also a hero in his own right, known as an Argonaut who helped Jason retrieve the Golden Fleece and a participant in the Calydonian Boar hunt. He was the son of Arcesius and Chalcomedusa, and husband to Anticleia
