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Odysseus
Odysseus's young son. Telemachus spends his youth helplessly watching the suitors corrupt his household and harass his mother Penelope, but Athena's forceful guidance helps him mature from a nervous youth to a confident, eloquent man – much like his father. Although Athena's hovering, controlling presence might seem oppressive and restrictive, it helps the prince to acquire a great deal of freedom in speech and action. His final passage into manhood is the fight against the suitors, where he proves his courage and skill.
Telemachus Quotes in The Odyssey
The The Odyssey quotes below are all either spoken by Telemachus or refer to Telemachus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book 2
Quotes
You should be ashamed yourselves,
mortified in the face of neighbors living round about!
Fear the gods' wrath – before they wheel in outrage
and make these crimes recoil on your heads.
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Book 3
Quotes
Some of the words you'll find within yourself,
the rest some power will inspire you to say.
You least of all – I know –
were born and reared without the gods' good will.
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Book 16
Quotes
Would I were young as you, to match my spirit now,
or I were the son of great Odysseus, or the king himself
returned from all his roving – there's still room for hope!
Then let some foreigner lop my head off if I failed
to march right into Odysseus's royal halls
and kill them all. And what if I went down,
crushed by their numbers – I, fighting alone?
I'd rather die, cut down in my own house
than have to look on at their outrage day by day.
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Get the entire The Odyssey LitChart as a printable PDF.
Telemachus Quotes in The Odyssey
The The Odyssey quotes below are all either spoken by Telemachus or refer to Telemachus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book 2
Quotes
You should be ashamed yourselves,
mortified in the face of neighbors living round about!
Fear the gods' wrath – before they wheel in outrage
and make these crimes recoil on your heads.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3
Quotes
Some of the words you'll find within yourself,
the rest some power will inspire you to say.
You least of all – I know –
were born and reared without the gods' good will.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 16
Quotes
Would I were young as you, to match my spirit now,
or I were the son of great Odysseus, or the king himself
returned from all his roving – there's still room for hope!
Then let some foreigner lop my head off if I failed
to march right into Odysseus's royal halls
and kill them all. And what if I went down,
crushed by their numbers – I, fighting alone?
I'd rather die, cut down in my own house
than have to look on at their outrage day by day.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
