Michael Sydney Jessica Melanie
Script
Make sure to describe the significance of each stop to the overall path of Telemachus -culturally, geographically, and/or personally.
➢ Intro:
○ As you all know… When we first meet Telemachus, he is an unsure young adult
that is unsure if his father is still alive
○ That all changes when Athena dresses up as Mentês, the son of Anchialos and
stops by Telemachus’s house
○ Athena or Mentês is greeted warmly and a discussion is started after Telemachus
has served Mentês
○ Mentês tells Telemachus that his father is alive and well, but a prisoner
somewhere in the sea.
○ This news gives Telemachus the courage to build a ship and start his odyssey
○ Once Telemachus leaves Ithaca, he travels to Pylos and Sparta which Jessica,
Melanie, and Michael will explain momentarily
○ This picture on the left is a sculpture of Athena dressed as Mentês
○ And the picture on the right is of course Telemachus
➢ Ithaca (Book II: How the Council Met in the Market-plce of Ithaca; and What
Came of It):
○ Telemachos addresses for meeting of the Council
○ Aigyptios speaks first, giving praise and bidding good luck to Telemachos on his
journey: Telemachos is encouraged
○ He has two problems:
■ Not sure about father’s whereabouts
■ Mother is besieged by those who want to marry her off
○ Becomes discouraged, rages out at council, and places blame on them
○ Antinoös says that he can’t keep his temper, and explains what he knows of
Telemachos’ mother
○ Telemachus was distraught by the words of Atinoös
○ Two eagles were sent by Zeus
○ Halitherês Mastorideês, a noble man, speaks out at the sight of the eagles and
addresses Ithaca that Odysseus is alive and will be again with them shortly
○ Eurymachos thinks his words are utter rubbish, and believes that Odysseus is dead
○ Telemachos begs for a ship and twenty men to aid him on his journey to find his
father
○ He visits Athena at seashore and she bids him good luck on his voyage
○ She tells him not to worry about his mother’s wooers, for their death will come
○ She offers her company aboard the ship and to find volunteers
○ He runs off toward home
○ Atinoös grabs him by the hand and tells him he’s in over his head: others chime in
and try to discourage him
○ Athena finds volunteers and a boat from the generous Noeëmon
○ She intoxicates the men, and then morphs into Mentor
○ The volunteers, Athen as Mentor, and Telemachus head on their journey
➢ Pylos: [p.27-40]
● Sandy Pylos city of Neleus
● Telemachos was welcomed to Pylos eagerly pushed to speak to the Nestor by
Mentor (Athena)
➢ Sparta:(Book IV: What Happened in Lacedaimon
○ Telemachos arrived in Sparta where Menelaos is the king and Helen the queen.
○ After Menelaos arguing with his servant over inviting them in or not, Telemachos
was invited into Menelaos’ dwellings.
○ Menelaos, before realizing that the person he invited in was Odysseus’ son, talks
about his ventures home (going to Cyprus, Phoenicia, Ethiopia, etc.)
○ He then talks about how his brother died (Agamemnon) because of Agamemnon’s
wife.
○ Finally, he talks about how much he misses Odysseus since he knows not if he is
alive nor dead and that Odysseus was one of the hardest working men he knew.
○ The talk of Telemachos’ father brings him to tears. (show image)
○ In order to ease some of Telemachos’ sadness, Helen appears and remarks how
much he looks like his father, remarks which Menelaus joins in upon.
○ Everyone is eventually brought to tears by the facts of how close and good of a
person Odysseus is.
○ During the feast, Helen puts a substance that causes the forgetfulness of one’s
troubles into the wine they were drinking.
○ Menelaos and Helen later talk about Odysseus’ feats of glory such as the Trojan
horse and the sneaking into Troy as a peasant.
○ Menelaos later recounts the tale of his journey home where he was held back
because of inept sacrifices he made to the gods. He captured the Old Man of the
Sea where he learns of his perilous journey home, his own brother’s fate, and the
whereabouts of Odysseus.
○ After finishing his tale, Menelaos offers Telemachos gifts but he denied which
happies Menelaos (Telemachos is of a “good blood” or family because of his
humility).
○ After this they continue on with the banquet where other events are happening
back home in Ithaca.
○ Personal Significance - Reaffirms Telemachos’ quest; shows Telemachos as a
truly humble person as well as a very devoted one
Cultural Significance Geographical Significance - The stop in Sparta is the last location Athena said to
visit; Sparta is south of Ithaca.