Summary: It's been 20 years since the Trojan war and Odysseus still hasn't returned home. The Gods are all having a feast telling stories. Athena wants her father to have mercy on her favorite mortal, Odysseus and help him get home after all this time; he's being held captive on an island by Kalypso. Athena decides to help Odysseus's son Telemachos find his father, so she goes to him disguised as Mentes. She sees all the suitors living at the house trying to get his mother. That night she sends him a vision of his father. The next day Telemachos calls for a town meeting to complain about the suitors. Antinoös one of the suitors says that it's Penelope who is delaying marrying a suitor and it's why they're still there. After the meeting, Telemachos prepares for a journey to find his father. He takes a group of trusted men and Athena disguised as Mentor (Odysseus's old friend) goes with him. Telemachos arrives in Pylos and is invited to a feast, everyone there is making sacrifices to Poseidon. Telemachos is nervous about making a speech to the noble Nestor, but Athena tells him the gods favor him, and takes over during his speech. He learns stories about his father. NEstor tells him not to be gone long because the suitor are all still at his house. Telemachos is now going to Sparta. When he gets there Menelaos is very welcoming and shares that he misses Odysseus more than anyone. Helen of Sparta drugs all the men to make them forget their sorrows, She tells funny stories about Odysseus. It is later learned Odysseus is Kalypso's prisoner and wants to get home. Telemachos goes back to Pylos. In Ithaka the suitors are upset because they didn't know about the journey, and set sail to ambush him. Penelope learns that her son has Athena on his side.
Characters: Athena, Zeus, Poseidon, Mentor, Telemachos, Odysseus, Penelope, Menelaos, Nestor, Antinoos, Helen, Kalypso, Eurykleia, Hermes, Peisistratos
Major Theme: Hospitality and Loyalty
Good job.
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