<P> Melanthius, the son of Dolius, plays the minor, yet important character of Odysseus's disloyal goatherd in Homer's Odyssey . In contrast, Odysseus's cowherd Philoetius and swineherd Eumaeus have both remained loyal to Odysseus during his twenty years of wanderings, as have Melanthius's father and six brothers . </P> <P> Melanthius provides the best goats of the herd to make a feast for the suitors of Penelope . He serves the suitors at the dining table, pouring them wine or lighting a fire in the hall upon their order . He is apparently favored by many of them: Eurymachus is said to like him best of all, and he is allowed to have meals in the same dining hall with the suitors . </P>

Loyal ox-herd who helped in the fight in the odyssey