The Odyssey - Book 4 (MENELAUS AND HELEN)

• Menelaus was entertaining some relatives in his house to celebrate the impending weddings of his son and his daughter (not to each other) 
• His daughter, the princess would marry the son of Achilles- as he had promised in Troy. Menelaus was sending her to Myrmidon's in a chariot and horses- Achilles son was king here. 
• His son "gallant Megapenthes" was marrying Alector's daughter from Sparta. 
• They were banqueting "under the high roof of the great hall" a minstrel sung "divinely" to the lyre as two acrobats danced. 
• Telemachus and Nestor's son arrived and Eteoneus saw them and ran to tell his Menelaus they had strangers at their gates. "Men whom I take by their looks to be of divine descent" "tell me whether we should unharness their horses for them or send them on to find someone else to entertain them"
• Menelaus told his squire Eteoneus to stop being so unhospitable towards the guests so he invited Telemachus and Nestor's son to the banquet. 
• The servants tied up the horses in the stable. 
• Maids bathed and rubbed oil on Telemachus and Nestor's son. 
• They were served various meals and had wine poured into gold cups. 
• Menelaus stepped up and asked who the guest were. 
• "The whole place gleams with bronze and gold, amber and silver and ivory" 
• Menelaus heard Telemachus talking and questioned him, he then began to speak of his travels and the death of his brother Agamemnon. 
• Menelaus then begins to speak of Odysseus- he speaks about how people will mourn over Odysseus although it is unknown if he is dead or not. 
• Telemachus wanted to cry because of hearing Menelaus' kind words about his father. 
• Menelaus knows that it was Telemachus but wanted for him to say something about it. 
• Telemachus still hasn't told Menelaus his name. 
• Helen later confronted Menelaus saying that their visitor is surely Odysseus' son. 
• Menelaus agrees "you point out a resemblance I can see too" "Odysseus' feet were just the same and so were his hands, the movement of his eyes, the shape of his head and the way his hair grew"
• Nestor's son Peisistratus said that Telemachus was indeed Odysseus' son. 
• Menelaus explains how Odysseus underwent the horrific events for his sake and how Odysseus was the only one who didn't reach home. 
• Helen cried at Menelaus' words- Telemachus and Menelaus did the same, Nestor's son cried at the thought of his brother, Antilochus whom Dawn killed. 
• Peisistratus asks Menelaus about his brother- whom he never got to know. Menelaus tells him that he is happy now- he has sons who are like him, are good leaders and have intelligence. 
• Helen put a drug into a bowl and their wine which had the power to rob grief and anger- banishing all painful memories, no one could shed a tear that day. The drug was given to her by an Egyptian woman, Polydamma. 
• Once Helen drops the drugs into the wire she begins to tell a story of Odysseus. 
• "He disfigured himself with appalling lacerations and then dirty rags on his back" "disguised as a beggar he looked utterly different from the Odysseus of the camp by the ship"
•  Odysseus went to the Trojan city - undetected by anyone. Helen was the only one who penetrated his disguise but when she questioned him his answers were clever. Helen had promised Odysseus she wouldn't disclose his name to the Trojans, he then gave her the full details of the Achaeans plans. 
• After Odysseus killed a number of Trojans with his "long sword" he got back to the Argive camp with a lot of information. 
• Helen finishes her story and Menelaus thanks her and carries on with another story of the Trojan war. 
• he recalls the story of sitting inside the Trojan horse. He says Odysseus saved the whole army. 
• Telemachus thanks Menelaus and asks him if he can go to bed. 
• Helen then instructs the maids to make the beds up for Telemachus and Pesistratus- they slept in the forecourt of the palace. 
• In the morning Menelaus went to Telemachus and asked him what brought him there. 
• Telemachus tells Menelaus "I came to find out whether you could give me any news of my father" he says how the palace is packed with enemies who are slaughtering his sheep and cattle, competing for his mothers hand in marriage 
• Menelaus was disgraced by the suitors trying to take Penelope's hand in marriage, he says that if Odysseus was to hear about the suitors there would be trouble. 
• Menelaus began to say what he;s heard from the Old Man of the Sea (Proteus - god)
• The Gods sent Menelaus (on the way home from the Trojan war) to the island of Pharos for 20 days. 
• Eidothee has taken pity on Menelaus and came to his rescue- Menelaus asks her for help in getting home. 
• She tells him that the old Man of the Sea (immortal) owns the island (and owes allegiance to Poseidon)- he would tell them whatever they want to know but first they would have to defeat the God- which is something which is rarely done by mortals. 
• Eidothee describes the plan - Menelaus is to choose 3 of his best men from his crew and they will pretend to be seals and then pounce on the Old Man, then Menelaus needs to ask which God is giving him difficulties. 
• When Dawn appeared Menelaus led 3 of his men to the sea, Eidothee met them carrying the skin of four seals. She covered each mans skin with the seal skin- the smell of fish was so strong, they couldn't stand it and so she applied ambrosia to each mans nostril which "killed the stench of seals"
• They waited until morning, then multitudes of seals came out of the sea and lay on the shore. At midday the Old Man emerged and began to count his seals (entirely unaware of the fraud). 
• After the Old Man had counted the seals he lay down. The men changed and grabbed hold of the Old Man. 
• "He began turning into a bearded lion and then into a snake, and after that a panther and a giant bear. He changed into running water too and a tree in leaf. But we set our teeth and hung on grimly"
• the Old Man eventually gave up and asked Menelaus which of the Gods conspired with him to catch him. 
• Menelaus replies, asking him who has confined him on the island and asks how he can return home. 
• The Old Man tells him he should have offered rich sacrifice to Zeus and all the other gods if he wanted to get home quickly across the "wine dark sea"
• Menelaus says he will take the Old Mans advice but he also wants to know if anyone had an accident at sea or died on the way home from Troy. 
• The old man explains how many were killed, commanders died but "there is a third who though still alive is a prisoner somewhere in the vastness of the seas"
• He then goes on to talk about Agamemnon and his death but Menelaus wants to know who the third is.
• The Old Man explains to Menelaus how the third is Odysseus, but he is trapped on Calypso's island and it is impossible for him to reach home. 
• He then tells Menelaus his own destiny and then "sank into the waters of the sea"
• Menelaus and his 3 men then ran back to the ship and them with the rest of the crew prepared rituals. He then set off home and "the immortals sent him a favourable wind"
• Menelaus then tells Telemachus to stay in his palace for 12 days or so more and then Menelaus will send him off in style "with glorious gifts three horses and a chariot"
• Telemachus says he needs to go to Pylos, where his friends are waiting for him- he explains how he would rather Menelaus and Helen keep the gifts they offer him- which is a polite reaction to good xenia. 
• Menelaus tells Telemachus he likes the way the boy speaks and how he has the "right blood in his veins"
• During their talk the guests have arrived at king Menelaus' palace for the banquet

Back at Odysseus' palace: 

• Outside Odysseus' palace the suitors were throwing discuss and javelin. 
• Noemon asked Antinous if they had any way of knowing when Telemachus was coming back- because Telemachus borrowed Noemon's ship but now he needs it back. 
• The suitors had no idea that Telemachus had left and so asked Noemon exactly when he left and who he took with him. 
• Noemon told him that he gave his ship to Telemachus and that any man who was asked to be a member of the crew could hardly refuse that offer. 
• Noemon went back to his fathers house- leaving Antinous furious. 
• Antinous plans to take a fast ship and 20 crew members to catch Telemachus and give him a grim end to the journey. 
• Medeon, the herald had been ease dropping and told Penelope the suitors plans. 
• Penelope also finds out that Telemachus has gone in search of Odysseus. 
• "Penelope was overwhelmed by the anguish that racked her"
• She's disappointed that Telemachus left her in the end. 
• Eurycleia tells Penelope that Telemachus made her promise not to tell her for a dozen days, or until Penelope questioned his absence. 
• "He didn't want the tears to spoil your lovely cheeks"
• Eurycleia comforted Penelope. 
• Penelope prayed to the gods that Odysseus is alive and Telemachus is safe.
• The suitors left on a hunt for Telemachus (20 suitors in total)
• Athene made a phantom of Penelope's sister, Ipthime and send it to Penelope to comfort her but says he will return home. She lets Penelope know Athene is on her families side. 
• She says she cannot say whether Odysseus is dead or not. 

The Odyssey - Book 3 (TELEMACHUS WITH NESTOR)

• Telemachus and his ship land in Pylos, the disembarked with Athene leading the way.
• Athene (disguised as Mentor still) tells Telemachus basically to grow a pair and go to Nestor and tell him he has come to find out about the honest truth of his father, and tell him to tell the truth as it is. 
• Telemachus asks 'Mentor' how he should approach Nestor as he has had no practice in making speeches, and it is embarrassing for a young man to question a senior. 
• Athene replies with "Telemachus, where your own intelligence fails and god will inspire you. For I think the gods have blessed both you and your progress to manhood"
• Athene then led the way up to Nestors palace, where the people of Pylos were assembled. 
• Around Nestor were his sons. other people around him were were piercing meat with skewers or roasting it in preparation for a banquet. 
• As soon as they noticed the strangers, Nestors first son Peisistratus took them by the hand and invited them to the banquet, then Nestors second son Thrasymedes filled a gold cup with wine and welcomed Pallas Athene. 
• Athene was delighted with the good manners which they had been welcomed with. Especially with Thrasymedes giving her the golden cup first, and began to pray to Poseidon asking him to grant glory to Nestor and his sons. 
• After they had finished their meal Nestor asked them who they are. 
• Telemachus replies to him telling him that he is from Ithaca and he is there to search for information about his long lost father, Odysseus. "So I have come here to plead with you in the hope that you will tell me the truth about my fathers unhappy end, if by any chance you witnessed it yourself or heard the story from some wanderer like him, For if ever a man was born to suffer, it was he. Do not soften your account out of any pity or concern you have for my feelings, but faithfully describe the scene that met your eyes"
• Nestor explains to Telemachus how no one on earth would be willing to tell him exactly what happened because it was so horrific (the Trojan war that is, not Odysseus' death -spoilers- because Odysseus isn't dead). He goes on to tell Telemachus how his father was admirable, and how Telemachus talks just like Odysseus did. 
• Nestor explains how Odysseus went with Agamemnon whilst he stayed with Menelaus so they were split up also. 
• Nestor tells Telemachus that the "future generations will sing your praises" 
• Telemachus then tells Nestor about the suitors asking for his mothers hand in marriage 
• Nestor then says that it is unknown if Odysseus will return or not.
• Telemachus then tells mentor that they can no longer rely on his fathers return
• He then goes on to talk about the Trojan war, and what happened to himself. Telemachus asked about what happened to Agamemnon and Nestor explains about how when he returned home from the war, Aeigisthus had seduced his wife Cytamnestra and with her permission Aeigisthus had killed Agamamnon. 
• As Nestor finished explaining the story to Telemachus, Athene told him that he told his tale well and that they will pour wine and offer it to Poseidon. 
• Nestor then declares that he wants Telemachus and all of his men to sleep in his palace overnight instead of their ship.
• Athene tells Telemachus to stay with Nestor as she returns to the ship to tell all of the men that they can stay in the palace over night. 
• She told Nestor to give Telemachus the fastest and strongest horses in his stable, and send him on a chariot with one of his sons. 
• After saying this to Nestor Athene takes the form of a vulture and flies off- "the King marveled at the sight"
• All of the men went to sleep in the palace grounds apart from Telemachus who slept in the actual palace on a bedstead with spearsman, Peisistratus next to him.
• In the morning Nestor gathered all of his sons around and Telemachus. He made a speech saying he wanted one of his sons to go to the field and get a heifer (cow) and bring it as quickly as the cowherd can drive it here, he also wants one of his sons to go to Telemachus' ship and bring back all of his men but two, he wants another one of his sons to go to Laerces the goldsmith to gield the heifers horns. The rest of his sons are to stay with him and tell the servants to prepare a feast in the palace and to fetch firewood and fire. 
• The heifer was fetched form the field, the men came from Telemachus' ship and the smith came "equipped with the bronze tools of his trade", Athene also came to accept the sacrifice. 
• Nestor then started the ritual, starting with lustral water and the scattered grain, he offered his prayers to Athene and threw a tuft of hair from the cows head onto the fire. Then Nestor's son, Thrasymedes stepped up and cut through the cows tendonds in its leg. The men lifted up the cow as Peisistratus cut it's throat. They then disembarked the carcass and burnt the things on the fire. 
• Nestor's youngest daughter Polycaste bathed Telemachus, after she bathed him she rubbed him with olive oil, gave him a tunic and put a bath cloak around his shoulders. "He stepped away from the bath looking like an immortal god"
• Once they had all feasted together on the leftovers they had let from the carcass, Nestor told his sons to fetch Telemachus two horses and a chariot so that he could go on his way. 
• Nestor's son Peisistratus got beside him in the chariot and took the reins, he urged the horses forwards. 
• They reached Pharae as the sun went down. The drove to the house of Diocles, where they spent the night and received gifts.
• "As soon as Dawn appeared" they harnessed their horses again and they drove off. 

The Odyssey - Book 2 (THE DEBATE IN ITHACA)

• "As soon as Dawn appeared fresh and rosy fingered" Telemachus awoke, got dressed and left his bedroom "looking like a god"
• He told the criers to tell the "long-haired Archeans" that they are called to the assembly.
• The people gathered and then Telemachus left for the meeting-place. 
• "Athene endowed him with such supernatural grace that all eyes were turned on him in admiration when he came up. The elders made way for him as he took his fathers seat"
• Aegyptius was the first to speak with his "wisdom". (His son Antiphus had sailed with Odysseus in the big ships to Ilium (the city of horses)- but he was killed by the Cyclops)
• When he spoke he was crying the tears for grief of his dead son. He asked who had summoned the men to an assembly as it was the first once since Odysseus had left, he finishes his short speech of questioning with "may Zeus reward him with his hearts desire"- towards the person who called the meeting (as he does not know it is Telemachus).
• "His auspicious words delighted Odysseus' son"
• Telemachus stood up and made his way into the middle of the assembly and began to speak- facing Aegyptius. He tells everybody that it was he who called the meeting as "I am in great distress". He goes on to explain that he has heard no news but has called the meeting to discuss his own personal business, "the affliction that has fallen on my house". He goes on to explain how firstly he has lost his father, but now there is "far greater calamity, one which will bring my house to utter ruin and rob me of any livelihood I have". 
• "A crowd of suitors are pestering my mother with their unwanted attentions and these Suitors are actually the sons of those who are your leaders here"
• "They slaughter our our oxen, our sheep, our fatted goats; they feast themselves and drink our sparkling wine- with never a thought for all the wealth that is being wasted"
• "The destruction of my house is an injustice which you, gentlemen, should resent not only on your behalf but as a scandal to our neighbours who live round about"
• "I beg you my friends, to leave me alone with my bitter grief"
• As Telemachus spoke he began to cry and flung the staff to the ground- nobody had the guts to give him a sharp reply after his speech
• Then Antinous stepped forward and angrily said that it was unfair how he put all of the blame on them. "You are wrong. We suitors plead "not guilty"
• Antinous explains how it is Penelope that is the "incomparable schemer"
• Antinous explains how Penelope is the schemer "for three whole years she has been leading us on, giving us all some grounds for hope, and in her private messages to each making promises that she has not the slightest intention of keeping" "She set up a great web and began weaving a large and delicate piece of work. She said to us "My Lords, my Suitors, now that noble Odysseus is dead, restrain your ardour, do not urge on this marriage till I have done this work, so that the threads I have spun may not be altogether wasted. It is a shroud for Lord Laertes, When he succumbs to the dread hand of remorseless Death that stretches all men out at last, I must not risk the scandal there would be among my countrywomen here if one who has amassed such wealth were laid to rest without a shroud", that's what she said: and we magnanimously consented. So by day she used to weave at the great web, but every night had torches beside it and undid the work. For three years she took us in by this trick, A fourth began and the seasons were slipping by, when one of her women who knew all about it gave her mistress away. We caught he unravelling her beautiful work, and she was forced reluctantly to complete it"
• The suitors tell Telemachus that they are not going to leave until she makes the choice to marry one of them. 
• Telemachus replies to Antinous saying that it is unknown whether Odysseus is dead or alive therefore he can't just let his mother marry someone else on the possibility that his father is dead. He told the suitors that is they are angry they shout "quit his palace and feast somewhere else" whereas if they choose to stay and destroy his estate he will "destroy" them.
• "In answer to his words, Zeus the Thunderer urged two eagles into flight from the mountain-top"
• They flew in the air for a bit and then when they were directly over the meeting-place they glanced down at all of the faces and gave looks of "foreboding death"
• They then clawed each others cheeks and neck and went over the houses of the busy town as people watched them. 
• Halithetses, Mastor's son spoke out saying "A great calamity is about to engulf them. Odysseus is not going to be parted from his friends much longer. 
• Eurymachus was the one to reply to Halithetses basically saying that his prophecies wouldnt come true, and the birds mean nothing as birds fly all of the time. He says that Odysseus met his fate abroad and wont ever return. He then says he has his own prophecy for Halithetses which "will come true"- he says that if he misuses his eloquence to incite Telemachus to violence then it will be worse for him, and there would be an extremely unpleasant consequence for Halithetses. He says none of the men pay any attention to his rubbish prophecies and they'll stay as long as Penelope is single 
• Telemachus asks Eurymachus and the Suitors for a fast ship and a crew of twenty who he can take to Sparta and sandy Pylos to inquire after his father. He says that if he hears that his father is alive and on his way home, he will hold out one more year, however if he hears that his father has died he will return home and allow one of the suitors to marry Penelope. 
• Mentor (who was a good, old friend of Odysseus) said that not one of the people who Odysseus ruled over gives a thought of him today, he then says that the suitors are brave for staying when Odysseus could return. 
• After Mentor spoke Leocritus said that even is Odysseus did return home to Ithaca "his wife would have no joy of his return" so what Mentor is suggesting is out of the question. He then says the meeting should be called off now and every man return to his estate as Mentor and Halithetses take Telemachus to Sparta and Pylos. 
• The assembled people then broke off and went back to their own estates and scattered to their homes, whilst the suitors made their way back to Odysseus' palace. 
• Telemachus then went to the sea shore and prayed to Athene "Hear, I beg you, you that in your godhead came yesterday to my house. it was your command that I should sail across the misty seas to find out whether my long-lost father is ever coming back. But my countrymen, and above all those Suitors that besiege my mother, are thwarting me at every point"
• Athene took the disguise of Mentor and approached him, she told him that he is not a coward and he will not be a fool to go and find out about his father, she tells him that he can hope to succeed in his undertaking, and that he needs to forget about the suitors and dismiss their plots etc from his mind. "They are fools and there is no sense in them"- she tells him they have no idea of the fate that will strike them down one day soon.
• She tells him that he needs to get on his journey that he has set his heart on, and that as a faily friend he (she) is willing to help find him a fast ship and a good crew.
• Telemachus set off for his palace and when he arrived he found all of the Suitors skinning goats and cooking hogs in the courtyard. 
• Antinous ran up to him, grabbed his hand and invited him to dinner with him and the other suitors and then told him that that his people will make all his arrangements on behalf of his ship, he will pick the best crew to make sure he will get to his destination as fast as possible. 
• Telemachus replied saying that "it is out of the question for a man to sit down to a quiet supper and take his ease with a rowdy mob like you" then he politely removed his hand from Antinous. 
• The suitors who had been preparing a meal greeted Telemachus' speech with insults and were just huge bitches saying "that Telemachus wants to cust our throats! And he's off to sandy Pylos to get help. Perhaps he'll go as far as Sparta and back, since he's so thirsty for our blood. Or it may occur to him that fertile soil of Ephyre is worth a visit. He'll come back with a deadly poison, drop it in the wine-bowl, and kill us all off"
• Telemachus let them talk and went down to his fathers store room "a big lofty chamber stacked with gold and bronze and with chests full of clothing"
• Telemachus called Eurycleia into the room and asked her to "fill twelve flagons with wine and put their stoppers on", "some barley-meal in a strong leather bag- twenty measures of mill crushed grain also" eh tells her that he is on his way to Pylos to hear any news on his father. 
• Eurycleia "gave a shrieked and burst out into tears"
• She asks Telemachus why he has this idea in his head, he is the apple of his mothers eye and that she will be extremely upset if her son goes away from her. She then goes on to say that Odysseus is dead. She tells him to stay at home where he belongs, and all he is doing is looking for trouble by going over the "barren seas". 
• Telemachus tells her not to worry about him and that he will be fine by himself, he tells Eurycleia to not tell his mother for a dozen or so days or until she asks where he has gone. 
• Eurycleia swore by all the gods that she would not tell Penelope unless she asked, after she had taken the solemn oath she collected all of the things which Telemachus had asked for. 
• Athene disguised herself as Telemachus and went into the town picking twenty men and passed them the good word to gather by the ship at nightfall, the vessel which she begged of Noemon willingly promised to give it to her. 
• Athene then made her way to the palace and lulled the suitors into a state of drowsiness, clouding their wits as they drank. They all fell asleep. 
• Athene then took the form of Mentor and called out Telemachus , telling him that his companions are on the ship, sat at the oars ready for his word to start. 
• When he reached the beach Telemachus addressed his crew. He told them to help put the supplies on board the ship from his palace. He tells them they are not to tell anyone as no one knows but Eurycleia. 
• They all brought down the supplies and put them in the ship like Telemachus asked them to do. Telemachus then followed Athene on board, she took her seat on the afterdeck and then he sat down beside her. 
• Athene then called up for a steady wind, and sent it out the "wine-dark sea"
• The men climbed in and took their places at their oars. Telemachus told his men to rig uo the ship, needless to say they followed his orders. 
• "The vessel sped on her course through the seas"
• Once the vessel was travelling steady they cracked open the wine and made offerings to the immortal gods, but mpst importantly to Athene, daughter of Zeus. 
• "Into the Dawn the ship ploughed her way through the sea"

The Odyssey - Book 1 (ATHENE VISITS TELEMACHUS)

• The story begins 10 years after the Trojan war. 
• All of the suitors have returned to their homes apart from Odysseus. 
• "Odysseus alone was prevented from returning to the home and wife he yearned for by that powerful goddess, the nymph Calypso, who longed him to marry her, and kept him vaulted in her cave" - 1.13-16
• The God pitied Odysseus, apart from Poseidon. 
• Poseidon however was not in Mount Olympus with the rest of the Gods, he was visiting the Ethiopians- he had gone to accept sacrifice of bulls and rams. 
• Whilst Poseidon was away the rest of the Gods assembled "in the palace of Olympian Zeus" (1.27)
• Athene brings up the conversation of Odysseus and how unfortunate he has been in his journey home from Troy. "it is for Odysseus my heart is wrung, the wise and unlucky Odysseus, who has been parted so long from his friends and is pining on a lonely island in the middle of the seas" (1.48-51)
• Zeus tells Athene that he is not at odds with Odysseus as he is "not the wisest man but has been the most generous in his offerings to the immortals" (1.66-68). He goes on to tell Athene that Poseidon is the one who is at odds with Odysseus. 
• Athene tells Zeus to send Hermes, the messenger of the Gods to Ogygia to tell Calypso to let Odysseus resume his travel home to Ithaca, she goes on to say how she herself will travel to Ithaca to tell Telemachus to call an assembly with the suitors, then she will tell him to travel to Sparta and to Pylos to seek news of his fathers return- as they are the places most likely he would find out that his father is still alive. 
• Athene then left and flew to Ithaca, when she reached the court in front of Odysseus' house she took the form of Mentes (a family friend). 
• She saw a number of the suitors sitting in front of the door playing counters whilst their squires and pages were busy around them "some blending wine and water in the mixing bowls, and others carving meat in lavish portions and wiping down the tables with sponges before set them ready" (1.109-112)
• The first person who saw her was Telemachus "the god like youth" (1.14)- who was sitting with the suitors. 
• Telemachus went up to Athene and welcomed her into the house, to took her over to a "beautifully carved chair" (1.129) 
• Telemachus wanted to question "Mentes" (Athene) about his absent father. 
• A housekeeper brought some bread and set up some delicacies with various meats, Telemachus helped himself and his "gold cup" (1.143) was frequently filled with wine as stewards passed. 
•  The suitors came and sat in rows on chairs and their squires poured them water, whilst maids put bread in bowls beside them. After the suitors were finished they began to dance and create music (adding to the pleasures of a banquet). 
• Phemius, the minstrel was handed a Lyre and began to play in. 
• As the minstrel played Telemachus spoke to Athene, asking her who she was and where she came from (obviously he thought he was talking to Mentes). Athene answers Telemachus' questions, saying she is the son of Anchialus and is the chieftain of the Taphians. She says she is in Ithaca whilst on her travels to Temesa to trade for bronze. She goes on to explain that she has actually come to Ithaca because she heard that Odysseus was home, she goes on to say that the Gods must have hindered his journey home as he is not dead. "He must be on some distant island out in the sea, in the hands of enemies, savages no doubt, who will keep him there by force" (1.197-200) 
• She then goes on to tell Telemachus how he has grown since she last saw him (speaking in the perception of Mentes to make him trust her) 
• Athene asks why there are so many people at Odysseus' house and Telemachus explains that they are trying to court his mother, Athene tells Telemachus that it is dreadful and if Odysseus was ever to find out they would basically be dead. 
• Athene tells Telemachus that he needs to find a way of getting rid of all of the suitors from his house. She tells him to call an assembly with the Achaean lords, asking the gods as witnesses and tell the suitors to leave. She them tells him that he needs to choose his best ship with its 20 oarsmen and go to inquuire about his missing dad. She tells him to go to Pylos first and question the king, Nestor and then go to Sparta and question Menelaus as he was the last of the Spartans to return home from Troy. She tells him that if he hears his father is dead then he is to return home to Ithaca immediately, and marry his mother to another man. "You are no longer a child, you must put your childish thoughts away" (1.298-299)
• "The goddess spoke and the next moment she was gone, vanishing like a bird through a hole in the roof" (1.319-320)
• Telemachus then sat and found himself listening to a bard singing a famous song about the Archaeans' return from Troy and the disasters that Athene made them suffer.
• Penelope was upstairs in her room listening to the song which the bard was singing taking in all of the words, and then emerged from her room. Whenever Penelope came across one of her suitors she would fold a shining veil across her cheeks and take a stand by the pillar of the roof, with one of her faithful maids on either side. 
• She then burst into tears, she broke on the inspired minstrel. 
• She tells Phemius the bard to stop performing that song as it is too sad given the circumstances. 
• Telemachus interrupts and tells Penelope that is is not Phemius' fault if he decides to sing "Danaan's tragic fate" as it is the song with an audience applauds the most for. He then tells Penelope the return to her quarters and attend her own work (the loom and spindle). 
• "Making decisions must be men's concern, and mine in particular: for I am the master of this house" (1.358-359)
• Penelope went to her quarters after being bossed around by her son. "She took her sons sensible words to heart" (1.361)
• In the hallway the suitors burst into uproar, each man prayed that he would get to sleep with Penelope, Telemachus heard them all and invited them to his assembly the following morning. 
• The suitors were amazed that Telemachus had adopted such an angry and dominating tone to his voice when talking to them. At this one of the suitors Antinous said to Telemachus that the gods are teaching him this way of speaking, and he hopes that he will never be King of Ithaca if he keeps this tone. 
• Telemachus then replies to Antinous telling him that he intends to be master of his house and the servants who Odysseus won for him in the war- basically saying that he doesnt want any of the suitors to marry his mum as he is the master of his house, so even if one of them marries Penelope, they won't have any authority over him. 
• Then another suitor Eurymachus tells him that he can keep all of his belongings and rule his own house. Then he begins to ask Telemachus who the man was that visited the house earlier (Mentes/ Athene) 
• Telemachus replies telling him that he is almost certain that Odysseus will never return and that his guest was an old friend of his fathers from Taphos. But secretly Telemachus knew that it was a goddess who visited him- he obviously didn't say this out loud, but in his heart/ head he knew. 
• Then when night fell they went off to bed, each man to his own house. Telemachus was escorted by Eurycleia, who was a faithful maid. 
• Telemachus sat down on his bed and took off his soft tunic, Eurycleia put it on a peg by the wooden bedstead and went out of his room. 
• "Telemachus lay planning in his mind his journey that Athene had suggested" (1.444)