THE ODYSSEY BOOK III: THE LORD OF THE WESTERN APPROACH Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayThe third book illustrates a number of important ongoing themes in the Odyssey. Books one through four are called "The Telemacheia". They tell the story of Odysseus' son Telemachus and his coming of age as he seeks information about his father's fate and advice about what he should do about his mother's greedy suitors. The third book, in particular, sees Telemachus rise to power in his first diplomatic attempts outside his home city, while dealing with King Nestor of Pylos. When Telemachus and Athena (still in his guise as Mentor) arrive at Pylos at line 3.15, Telemachus remains behind, too timid to step forward and address the king directly. Athena encourages him, reminding him that his life has not gone unnoticed by the gods and that he is blessed. He then sets the example in pouring libations and offering prayers (verses 3.60-75), so when it is finally Telemachus' turn to speak, he is able to do so with enough conviction and skill to impress the king. Nestor goes so far as to say that he can see Odysseus' gift of speech in Telemachus: a great compliment. But there are larger themes at play in this chapter that are central to the entire Odyssey: in particular, the importance of loyalty and prudence. in those who remained at home in uncertain times and the importance of devotion to the gods. The story of Agamemnon's murder is not only a morality tale that illustrates what can happen when people you trust betray you, but it offers an interesting contrast to the situation as it exists in Ithaca. It also ends with the admonition to Telemachus not to linger too long away from home in search of his answers. This trio of meanings in Agamemnon's tragedy is best illustrated in passage 3.353-363. After telling Telemachus the story of Agamemnon's betrayal by his cousin and his wife, he warns Telemachus not to stay away from home too long, lest the same thing or worse happen to his father's kingdom. Indeed, Nestor says, Telemachus may not want to let too much time pass before seeking revenge for his father's treatment of his house, even if there is no good news about whether Odysseus will ever return home. He warns that if Telemachus is not quick enough, the suitors will devour his entire inheritance and his journey to find answers will lead nowhere. Interestingly, in telling the story of Agamemnon's betrayal, Nestor emphasizes that Clytemnestra was loyal at first and rejected Aegisthus' advances, but eventually succumbed to his seduction and played her fatal role in the murder of her husband. This is in stark contrast to the character of Penelope, who submits to deception out of respect for her loyalty to her husband, rather than ending the conflict by cheating on him and taking another husband. It is also important to note that any of Penelope's suitors could easily take on Aegisthus' role in the plot to bring down the house, which the suitors ultimately do en masse in their conspiracy against Telemachus while he is away on his quest. The general theme of the Odyssey highlighted in this book is the importance of the devotion to the gods practiced by the Greeks. This section ends with examples of such devotion. When Athena and Telemachus arrive at Pylos, a huge ritual takes place on the beach, with thousands of people (4500, precisely) sacrificing 81 black bulls to Poseidon. At the end of the chapter, when King Nestor realizes that Mentor was actually Athena in disguise, he throws another party with a.