Penelope Clearwater's connection to Hermes and Pigwidgeon
AbendrothBlutjager
Anas (or Mareca) penelope is Widgeon or Wigeon.
"Pigwidgeon" is a term for something small or petty. Ron now has an
owl (as a replacement for Scabbers) that Ginny has named Pigwidgeon.
The owl Pigwidgeon is a Scops owl (according to Jo), a very small
breed of owl. "Pig" is eager to be the messenger, despite his minute
size.
In Greek mythology, Penelope (meaning "needle and thread" or "needle
and spool") was the loyal wife of Odysseus. While her husband was
away, trying to find his way back home, Penelope kept her numerous
suitors at bay by saying she'd choose a new husband only after she had
finished a tapestry (a shroud for her father-in-law). She would work
on the tapestry by day but unravel it again every night. She was
eventually caught and had to find a new way to postpone the decision.
She announced that the suitor who could string Odysseus's bow and
shoot a single arrow through 12 axe handles would become her husband.
Of course, none of the suitors could even string the bow. Odysseus had
finally returned and, disguised as an old man, he strings the bow and
shoots the arrow through the 12 axe handles... then he kills or chases
off the suitors.
Penelope was helped by Athena (Minerva) and Hermes. Odysseus was
helped by Zeus (Jupiter) and Hermes.
Percy now has an owl of his own (the family owl is Errol), and its
name is Hermes.
We haven't heard about Penelope since Percy graduated, have we?