In Homer's "Odyssey," Penelope is besieged by suitors who come to her home in Ithaca after her husband, Odysseus, has been missing for many years. The suitors, who are a group of prominent men from Ithaca and neighboring regions, believe that Odysseus is dead and are vying for Penelope's hand in marriage.
They take advantage of the situation, believing that they have the right to court her and consume her wealth while she's in mourning. The