The Odyssey

The Odyssey :


JR Audije


In THE ODYSSEY, Athene helped Odysseus numerous ways physically and mentally by aiding him, Telemachus and Penelope. In book I, Athene urged Telemachus to give up boyhood, act like a man, present his case to search for his father to the assembly and take stronger steps to search for his father. After Telemachus presented his case to the assembly and no action was taken on his request for a ship to enable him to search for his father, Telemachus prayed to Athene for help. In response to his prayer, Athene appeared as Mentor and borrowed a ship and crew for Telemachus. Athene also helped Telemachus by appearing to him in a dream, urging him to return to Ithaca and warning him about the ambush of the suitors.


Athene helped Penelope numerous way also. Athene helped her by comforting her so she would not go into a nervous breakdown over all her stress, the suitors and Odysseus returning or not. Athene gave Penelope hope of Odysseus returning. Athene even made Penelope appear more beautiful than she really was, because Penelope was actually really ragged. Athene also helped Penelope by giving her a dream of gulls, representing the suitors and an eagle, representing Odysseus, killing the gulls. Athene helped Odysseus numerous ways as well. She helped by persuading the gods to free Odysseus from Calypso. Athene even helped Odysseus by telling Naussicaa to do her laundry at the beach and telling her to help the man she meets. So when Odysseus came to shore he was ugly and he scared the other women on the beach away, except Nausicaa. Nausicaa washed Odysseus up, gave him clothes and told him how to act when they return to her place. As they were going to Naussicaa's place Athene made Odysseus invisible so the guards would not see him and Athene made Odysseus look better by making him look taller, stronger and giving him more hair on his head. Athene also helped Odysseus by counseling him on how to handle the suitors, and she disguises him as an old begger so no one will recognize him immediately. Athene later restores Odysseus to his own form when he reveals himself to his son and together after twenty years they plan a vengeance on Penelopes wooers. As Odysseus was fighting the suitors, Athene made Odysseus appear to look stronger to strike fear in the suitors.


Athene also made the Odysseus' enemies miss with their attacks and Athene gave Odysseus precise aim. Athene last and final help was when she interrupted the relatives of the suitors from attacking in revenge of the suitors deaths. Athene spoke stating, "men of Ithaca, cease this dreadful war and settle the matter at once without further bloodshed." Then Zeus sent a lightning bolt that struck in front of Athene, so Athene said to Odysseus, "Odysseus, noble son of Laertes, stop this battle or Zeus will be angry with you." Then Odysseus gladly agreed and in the voice and form of Mentor she made a covenant of peace between the two parties.





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