Homer's Odyssey - Book Report/Review Example

His wife Penelope pines for him and his son Telemachus, now a young man, finds it hard to confront the many suitors trying to win his mother's hand. Aware of this and other problems for Telemachus, Althena, with permission from Zeus, travels to Ithaca to assist Telemachus. She transforms into an old friend of Odysseus; the Mentor. In this guise she advises Telemachus, letting him know that his father is still alive and helping him screw up his courage to get rid of the suitors. Telemachus depends upon Althena for his direction.

The Mentor also advises Telemachus to search for his father in Pylos and Sparta. Later, to be of even more specific assistance, Althena assumes the role of Telemachus himself to provide him with the crew he needs for his journey. As a result of all of this assistance from Althena, Telemachus is strengthened enough to confront the suitors during his council speech. And before he leaves on his journey, he tells his mother, "I hold the reins of power in this house". The goddess Althena has provided the necessary ingredients for Telemachus to assert himself.

What would the poem be like without the delightful advent of Odysseus' capture by one goddess and Telemachus' inspiration by anotherAt Pylos, Telemachus and Mentor (Althena) watch as many bulls are sacrificed to the Poseidon, the god of the sea. Telemachus visits with King Nestor and asks about his father. King Nestor does not know what happened to Odysseus after the battle of Troy, but he hopes that Althena will be as kind to Telemachus as she was to his father. Sacrifices to please the gods are routine.

Nestor then sends his son Pisistratus with Telemachus over land to Sparta to continue to look for his father. Althena reveals herself by transforming into an eagle in front of the entire court of Pylos. She stays behind to protect Telemachus' ship and crew. Here then is proof to those in attendance, (if they had any doubt and there is no evidence that they did), that gods could transform themselves at will. When Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive in Sparta King Menalaus and Queen Helen are happily celebrating the marriages of their son and daughter.

As they are being feasted by Menelaus, Telemachus, in referring to the beauty which surrounded them said, "Look, Pisistratus, man after my own heart, see the gleam of bronze and gold-of amber, ivory, and silver. Everything is so splendid that is like seeing the palace of Olympian Zeus. I am lost in admiration."However, Menelaus overheard what Telemachus said and answered, "No one, my sons can hold his own with Zeus, for his house and everything about him is immortal" The gods owned their own houses and decorated them in a style only gods could afford.

They set standards.Helen and Menelaus talked to Telemachus of his father, revealing stories about the battle of Troy and Odysseus wisdom and bravery. King Menalaus also tells Telemachus of his own return from Troy and how he was stranded in Egypt. The only way he could escape was to capture Proteus, the divine old man of the sea. Proteus told Menalaus of the way back to Sparta and as they discussed the battle of