Book One: Some Exposition and Telemachus the Man-Child (The Odyssey, Book by Book)

Book One: Some exposition and Telemachus the man-child

The Odyssey begins with the narrator asking the muses to assist them in telling the story of the man we come to know as Odysseus. In Greek, he is described as Polytropos (πολύτροπος), which has been translated in many different ways. My favourite is 'The Man of Many Turns', but even that does not quite do it justice, as it doesn't capture the cunning, absolute audacity, and at times, dickish behaviour we see Odysseus partake in.

We begin with some exposition, learning that Odysseus is the man who hasn't made it home from the Trojan War yet. The Olympian gods have a little chat about it, and we learn from Athena that Odysseus has no friends, he has been trapped on an island by the goddess Circe, and he is surrounded by the ocean. According to Athena, Odysseus longs to return home, and yeah, he probably does, but if you know anything about Odysseus, it's that he likes the company of women who are not his wife, especially when they talk nicely to him. Athena is a big fan of his, though, and reminds Zeus of all the nice things Odysseus has done for him, like making sacrifices on the beach by his boats.

We get a bit more exposition when Zeus explains why Poseidon is not Odysseus' biggest fan. This sets up some of the story we will learn about later. Athena, being the massive fangirl she is, comes up with a plan to help Odysseus. Athena sends Hermes off to have words with Calypso while she goes to visit Telemachus, Odysseus' son. Athena is able to transform her appearance, and when she arrives at the court of Odysseus, she appears as Mentes, an old friend of Odysseus' family.

She finds a group of suitors (who we later learn are there to win Penelope's affections), being attended to by servants and slaves, and Telemachus sitting amongst them. He alone spots Athena, still disguised as Mentes and invites her into his home. We're painted a picture of indulgence, with slaves providing food, wine and entertainment for the suitors.

Athena and Telemachus sit together, some distance from the suitors, and Telemachus begins to talk about his father, lamenting his absence. I can't help but feel a little bit sorry for him here, but that doesn't last long. He wishes for his father to return, to send the suitors on their way. Telemachus then asks Athena who she is, and, keeping up her disguise as Mentes, she answers, then gives Telemachus a bit of a pep talk. Essentially telling him to stop acting like a child, to send the suitors away himself, and to insist he sail away on a journey to learn of Odysseus' whereabouts.

Athena makes her leave, finally dropping her disguise and showing her true self before disappearing. The suitors were too distracted by a bard they had forced to play the lyre to notice, though. The bard plays a song about the heroes who were lost during the Trojan War, and Penelope, sitting in her chamber, hears the music. Understandably, she doesn't want to hear about sad stories for the hundredth time, and she asks the bard to stop for it deepens her sadness and longing for her absent husband.

Telemachus, the absolute man-child that he is, tells his mother not to criticise the bard and to listen to the song, adding: "Stick to your weaving and spinning, it is for men to talk, and I'm the master of the house, so go away and shut up." Thus losing any sympathy I had for him. Penelope returns to her room, shocked and saddened by her son's harsh words and cries herself to sleep.

After being an ass to his mom, Telemachus attempts to send the suitors away from his home. They have a bit of an argument, and a few insults are thrown, but in the end, the suitors go back to dancing and enjoying their evening undisturbed by the petulant fly that is Odysseus' son.

Book one ends with Telemachus curled up in bed all nice and cosy while he dreams of the adventure that awaits him.