el ol Bee alele) elt ce) Bealalllealalal=al NARRATOR I: The goddess Athena, watching from Olympus, reveals herself to the sad young Telemachus. (Athena appears) ATHENA: Telemachus, worthy son of great Odysseus, it is true your father would wish for your strength of wit and might to restore your mother’s honor. ‘TELEMACHUS: Grey-eyed Athena, wise protector of my father, for what purpose have you come to me? ATHENA: Telemachus, you must journey far and wide and Iéarn news of your father. Be guided by me, and all that can be done to bring Odysseus home will be revealed to you. TELEMACHUS: Lead me, great lady, and I will follow. ATHENA: First, you must speak to the suitors. Gather them together in an assembly and demand that they leave this place. ‘TELEMACHUS: Taking leave of the palace would spare what litle stores remain. For four years now they have eaten all our food and drunk all our wine. IF iy father ever returns, chere will be nothing left of, his kingdom. ATHENA: His kingdom lies in his lovely wife, Penelope, and you, his splendid son. After you have addressed these noblemen, gather all of your wits, for you must journey across the seas. NARRATOR 2: With that, Athena returns to Mount Olympus to watch her scheme unfold. (Enter suitors) TELEMACHUS: Worthy men, rake leave of our house- hold, for I fear our supplies are nearly wasted. Take turns feasting at your own palaces until my mother's mind has settled and she finishes the woven burial shroud for my grandfather. SUITOR I: How dare you speak to your guests in such a way! SUITOR 2: Telemachus, the bold manner in which you speak’ makes me believe you are being guided by the = gods TOR 3: We have been told by your mother that she will choose one of us when she finishes the tapestry, bur she’s been weaving for years SUITOR 4: And we have just eared that each night she unravels that which she has woven by day! 2 TELEMACHUS: If you do not leave, may the great Zeus resolve this matter against you. SUITOR 5: We will leave here. But we await word from your wise, gentle, and . .. clever mother. NARRATOR I: The men leave the palace, and ‘Tele- ‘machus outfits a ship for his journey of discovery. ens GENE 2°: NARRATOR 2: The first stop on the journey is the island of Pylos and the house of Nestor, a distin- guished figure who fought at Troy. NARRATOR I: Nestor, great counsel to commanders of armies, gives much hospitality to Telemachus. NARRATOR 2: At banquet, stories are told of great tragedy and greater victory, and bread and wine and meats are eaten. (Actors play ar banqueting) NESTOR: Great-hearted Telemachus, take these fine horses and chariot. You will surely hear news of your father if you visi the palace of fait-haired Menelaus. ‘My sons will escort you to his kingdom. (Actors shake hands all around, Athena and Telemachus leave.) ATHENA: Telemachus, shining among men, we will come to Menelaus on a great day. His daughter and son are to be wedded away to neighboring king- doms. Much rejoicing can be heard in the streets and marble passages of the palace TELEMACHUS: Will Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships, be there, who took so many men from their homes, including my own dear father? ATHENA: Helen will be there, I must not go, so great is my anger. Aphrodite, bright-haired and shining, was deemed fairest by Paris, who then won Helen. The ‘Trojan War began with this judgment—so simple, so swift, and yer the conflict lasted ten years leave you, Telemachus, with the sons of Nestor. ‘TELEMACHUS: Continue to guide me, grey-eyed ‘goddess. (Athena leaves) NARRATOR I: Telemachus and the sons of Nestor are received warmly, as all strangers are. Bathed, anointed with fragrant oils, and rested, the travelers now come to another great banquet. MENELAUS: Come, weary travelers, sit among my family and feast with us.