Book Four: Come Dine With Me (The Odyssey, Book by Book)

Book Four: Come Dine With Me

When they arrive in Sparta, Menelaus is hosting a feast to celebrate his children's wedding. While in Troy, Menelaus had agreed to give his daughter to Achilles’ son, Pyrrhus, in marriage. She and her dowry of chariots were being prepared for the journey, while his son Megapenthes was awaiting the arrival of Iphiloche, the daughter of Alector. A bard was singing, and acrobats danced as the guests feasted.

One of Menelaus' guards, Eteoneus, saw Telemachus and Nestor’s son approaching and ran inside to tell Menelaus. Eteoneus asks if the two young men should be welcomed or sent away. Menelaus scolds the guard and insists that the men are brought into the feast; to suggest otherwise is ridiculous.

After checking out Menelaus’ home and admiring the splendour of it, Telemachus and Peisistratus went to take a bath, as you do when you’ve just arrived at a stranger's home. They were bathed and clothed by slaves, who then took the young men into the feast and sat them beside Menelaus. Menelaus welcomes them and insists they help themselves to food and wine.

Much like Nestor, Menelaus also likes to have a bit of a yap, and for some reason he finds it appropriate to tell two strangers about all the suffering he has gone through recently. His greatest suffering, though, is the loss of his friend Odysseus. He speaks of how Penelope and Telemachus must have suffered, not knowing whether Odysseus was still alive. Telemachus began to cry, and Menelaus was about to ask why, when Helen appears. The face that launched a thousand ships can also apparently distract men from caring about their guests. She sat down with the men and asked Menelaus if he knew who the young men sitting with him were. She remarks on how one of them looks a lot like Telemachus, and Menelaus agrees. Apparently Telemachus has the same hands and legs as his father. Then Menelaus says, “Oh, and he also cried when I talked about Odysseus,” but he still seems oblivious. Peisistratus finally confirms that the man travelling with him is indeed Telemachus. Menelaus and Peisistratus spend some time talking about lost friends and family, those who died in the war, before returning to their feasting. Helen mixed the wine with a drug she had been given while in Egypt, so that for the rest of the day, no one would feel sadness or grief, easing the impact of the war for a few hours.

She then regails the men with a tale of Odysseus and his exploits during the Trojan War. One night, he bruised and bloodied himself and flung a ragged cloak over his shoulders so that he appeared as a slave. He made his way through the enemy's city streets, disguised as a poor, old, and weathered beggar. Helen approached him, but he refused to talk lest he give away his identity. Even so, Helen washed and clothed him and promised not to reveal his identity to anyone. Before leaving, Odysseus told Helen the Achaeans’ plans. When he left, he slaughtered many Trojans and brought back vital information to the Achaeans.

Menelaus then speaks and tells the story of the Trojan Horse. Neither story soothes Telemachus’ mind or heart; instead, he insists on going to bed.

When dawn breaks, Menelaus wastes no time in finding Telemachus and questioning him about why he had come to Sparta. Telemachus explains that he came for news of his father and explains the situation with the suitors back in Ithaca. Menelaus takes a very long time to answer, not because he needs to think of what to say, but because he has a long story to tell. Eventually he gets to the point and explains that he doesn’t know what happened to Odysseus.

Menelaus suggests that Telemachus stay with him for a couple of weeks and offers treasure and horses as gifts, but Telemachus tactfully refuses, saying he must return to Pylos and that he will only take the treasure as he has no need for horses.

Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, the suitors plan to set sail to catch and kill Telemachus on his return