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.
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