and she in turn folded the tunic, and took care of it for him,.
Book I:436.
As a result of this the Athena goes to Ithaca to speed up Telemachus" development. In the Homeric world females were seen as occupying inside the house, they only rarely left the house. Males on the other hand were seen to occupy outside of the house. Telemachus at this stage of his life spent most of his time inside the house fulfilling more of a feminine role. Athena's task is to take Telemachus out of the female world and into the male world and turn the boy into a man. Athena sends Telemachus on a journey, a "rites of passage". Telemachus is to journey across the sea to find news of his father. Telemachus is leaving his home, crossing water. The idea of crossing water is seen as a metaphor that signifies the colossal physical and mental journey in which he is about to undertake. The darkness in which Telemachus leaves in and the light in which he returns characterises the death and rebirth that has taken place in Telemachus" life. It is Athena's intention that this journey will teach Telemachus to be wise in his ways.
First go to Pylos, and there question the great Nestor,.
And from there go over to Sparta to see the fair-haired Menelaos,.
Book I:284.
You should not go clinging onto your childhood,.
you are no longer of that age.
Book I:296.
In Ancient Greece children have no authority. This is not only because of their physical weakness and their subservience but also because of their lack of forceful speech and inability to make words effect actions. .
You were never a fool before, but now you are babbling nonsense, .
as a child would do.
Book IV:31-32.
Telemachus becomes an adult by learning how to manage language skills and becoming skilled at speech and making his words become actions. The language of Telemachus changes in the same way as his character does. It parallels the increase in maturity with an increase in his language skills.
