Why is Ulysses’ shooting the arrow through the twelve axes such a significant feat in the Odyssey? By doing it, and doing it so easily and quickly, he wordlessly proves who he is and is able to begin the slaughter of the suitors immediately before anyone can really react. The feat shows how very keen his eye is and how accurate the bow shoots. No matter who he is, he’s suddenly at an advantage in the crowd of suitors. Should he have waited until the morning, he might have become tense as he thought about it. The immediacy of his feat showed presence of mind. The suitors are at a huge disadvantage at this point because most of them have just been defeated. Ulysses banks on their uncomfortable situation and shows himself a thorough archer.