The Odyssey Essay, Research Paper

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 break down 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 immediatly. 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 lighting 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.