Odyssey 7.142 · Book 7, lines 142–145
He clasps Arete's knees; the mist dissolves
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ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ Ἀρήτης βάλε γούνασι χεῖρας Ὀδυσσεύς, καὶ τότε δή ῥʼ αὐτοῖο πάλιν χύτο θέσφατος ἀήρ. οἱ δʼ ἄνεῳ ἐγένοντο, δόμον κάτα φῶτα ἰδόντες· θαύμαζον δʼ ὁρόωντες. ὁ δὲ λιτάνευεν Ὀδυσσεύς·
And about the knees of Arete Odysseus cast his arms; and then the god-sent mist flowed back off him. They fell silent, seeing the man throughout the house; they marveled, gazing on him. But Odysseus made his entreaty:
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The setting
Odysseus reaches the royal pair and throws his arms about Arete's knees in supplication. At that moment Athena's concealing mist dissolves, and the whole hall sees him appear from nowhere.
A note on this passage
The plan lands. Odysseus throws his arms around Arete's knees, the fixed posture of a suppliant, and at that instant the mist breaks and pours off him. The hall, which saw no one enter, suddenly sees a man already kneeling at the queen — and falls silent, staring.
The stagecraft is precise: the mist holds until the suppliant is physically fastened to his protector, then vanishes so the appeal is public and cannot be quietly refused. In Homer supplication is binding once the knees are grasped, and Athena has timed the reveal so that Odysseus is untouchable the moment he becomes visible. The silence is not fear but awe — the sudden man looks like something the gods have sent.
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