Andrew Markham’s Reviews > The Odyssey > Status Update

By the order of Zeus, Calypso allows Odysseus to leave her island to return home to Ithaca. He builds a raft which is destroyed by a storm on the rocks near another island where Odysseus tries to find shelter for the night.

Book IV (2nd Half): Telemachus a Pesistratus awake in the morning and learn from Menelaus that Odysseus is being held with no escape by Calypso on an island.

One of the suitors, Antinous gathers a crew and sets sail from Ithaca to find Telemachus and stop him from returning home with his father. Penelope learns of Telemachus’ plan and is distraught, only being consoled when Athene told her Telemachus would return

Book IV (1st half): Telemachus, guided by Peisistratus, son of Nestor arrive in Lacedaemon, home of Menelaus, who is hosting two wedding feasts for his children. Although they do not immediately identify themselves, Menelaus and his wife Helen quickly identify Telemachus as the son of Odysseus and offer him shelter and information about his father in the morning.

Book III: Telemachus, Athena, and the crew arrive in Pylos to the welcome of Nestor during an offering ceremony and feast. Telemachus asks what Nestor might know of his father. Nestor says they had split apart from a group that had previously split at Troy so he does not know. Nestor also tells of a similar situation where Orestes took the house and killed the family of Menalaus, who he should speak to in Lacedaemon.

Book II: Telemachus asks the townspeople and subjects of his father to join him on his quest to learn the truth of his dad and to restore his house. They are largely unreceptive. Athena disguises herself as Mentor, a friend of the discouraged Telemachus, to urge the son to find his father. She then disguises herself as Telemachus to convince the crew to join him and get a ship. Shortly after, they embark to the sea.

Book I: Zeus speaks to the Gods in the halls of Olympus and claims the humans are incorrectly putting the blame for their hardships on the Gods when Athena points out that Odysseus has been held hostage by Calypso on the island of Ogygia. Athena (Pallas) disguises herself as Mentes, the king of Taphos to speak with Telemachus (son of Odysseus) about getting rid of Penelope’s suitors and finding his father.