He’s just sitting there. Honestly, that’s how we first meet Telemachus in Homer’s Odyssey—sitting among a pack of loud, entitled men who are literally eating him out of house and home. He’s daydreaming about his father, Odysseus, magically appearing to kick everyone out. It’s passive. It’s kind of pathetic. But this moment is the setup for the Telemachus call to adventure, a pivot point in Western literature that most people breeze past because they’re too busy waiting for the Cyclops or the sirens to show up.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your own life, paralyzed by the shadow of a successful parent or a "legendary" predecessor, Telemachus is your guy. He is the original "failure to launch" story. But then Athena shows up, disguised as an old family friend named Mentes, and everything changes. This isn't just a "hero’s journey" checkbox. It’s a brutal wake-up call.
The Telemachus Call to Adventure: Beyond the Ordinary World
The "Telemachy"—the first four books of the Odyssey—serves as a mini-epic. Before we ever see Odysseus weeping on Calypso's beach, we see his son. Why? Because the Telemachus call to adventure establishes the stakes. If Telemachus doesn't grow up, Ithaca is doomed. The suitors aren't just annoying wedding crashers; they are a systemic threat to the social order (what the Greeks called cosmos).
Athena doesn't just give him a map. She gives him a "thumos"—a spiritedness. She tells him to get a ship, find a crew, and go talk to the old war buddies of his father, specifically Nestor and Menelaus.
Why the "Call" is Actually an Intervention
Athena’s approach is fascinatingly psychological. She basically tells him, "You aren't a child anymore." It’s harsh. She points out that Orestes—another son of a famous Greek king—already took matters into his own hands by avenging his father Agamemnon. The subtext? "What’s your excuse, Telemachus?"
🔗 Read more: The Reality of Sex Movies From Africa: Censorship, Nollywood, and the Digital Underground
This is the quintessential Telemachus call to adventure. It’s external because a goddess shows up, but it’s deeply internal because he has to choose to stop being a victim of his circumstances. He has to stop "daydreaming" and start doing.
Breaking Down the Threshold Crossing
The journey to Pylos and Sparta is his "crossing the threshold." He’s never left Ithaca. He’s never been the one in charge. When he arrives at Nestor’s palace, he’s terrified. He doesn't know how to talk to kings. He’s worried he’ll look like an idiot.
Nestor, however, gives him something more valuable than information: he gives him respect. By treating Telemachus like the son of a hero, he forces the boy to occupy that space. This is a crucial, often overlooked part of the Telemachus call to adventure. You can't just be called; you have to be recognized.
What People Get Wrong About the Search for Odysseus
A lot of readers think the point of Telemachus's trip is to find his dad. It’s not. Not really. Athena knows exactly where Odysseus is. She could have just told Telemachus, "Hey, your dad is on an island with a beautiful goddess, he'll be home in a month."
💡 You might also like: Alfonso Cuarón: Why the Harry Potter 3 Director Changed the Wizarding World Forever
But she doesn't.
She sends him on a wild goose chase. Why? Because the point of the Telemachus call to adventure isn't the destination. It’s the "kleos"—the renown. He needs to build his own reputation so that when Odysseus does return, he has a partner, not a dependent. He’s training to be a soldier in the bloody battle that’s coming in Book 22.
The Mentor Figure and the Power of Disguise
Athena is the ultimate mentor. But notice she never appears as herself to the public. She’s Mentes, then she’s Mentor (the literal origin of the word). This forces Telemachus to act with a degree of agency. If a glowing goddess is standing next to you, you aren't being brave; you’re just following orders. By appearing as an old man, Athena allows Telemachus to take the credit for his own growth.
In Sparta, Menelaus and Helen tell him stories of his father’s cunning. This is where the Telemachus call to adventure turns into a quest for identity. He’s looking in a mirror made of other people's memories. He discovers that he is "Odyssean" in his speech and his mannerisms. He finds his DNA in the stories of the Trojan War.
📖 Related: Why the Cast of Hold Your Breath 2024 Makes This Dust Bowl Horror Actually Work
The Actionable Insight: How to Answer Your Own Call
The Telemachus call to adventure isn't just for Bronze Age princes. It’s a template for anyone stuck in a holding pattern.
- Identify the "Suitors" in Your Life: What is draining your resources or energy while you sit passively? Is it a dead-end job? A toxic habit? Fear of failure?
- Seek Out the "Nestors": Find people who knew your potential before you did. Sometimes you need a third-party perspective to realize you’re capable of the journey.
- Accept the Discomfort of the First Step: Telemachus was awkward. He was out of his depth. He stuttered. But he got on the boat.
- Recognize the "Invisible Mentor": Growth often happens when you think you’re doing it alone, even if you’re being guided by the principles or "spirits" of those you admire.
The Telemachus call to adventure concludes when he returns to Ithaca. He isn't the same boy. He evades an ambush by the suitors, showing he's learned the "metis" (cunning) of his father. When he finally meets the beggar who is actually Odysseus, he doesn't just cry; he starts planning.
The boy who sat dreaming of a savior became the man who helped the savior win. That’s the real power of the call. It doesn't just change your location; it changes your soul.
To truly understand this transition, go back and read Book 1 and Book 21 side-by-side. In Book 1, he can't even control his own dinner table. In Book 21, he is the only person besides Odysseus strong enough to almost string the great bow. He only stops because Odysseus signals him to. That’s growth. That’s the result of answering the call.
If you want to dive deeper into the specific archetypes Homer uses, look into the concept of xenia (guest-friendship). It’s the social glue that allows Telemachus to travel safely and is the very thing the suitors are violating. Understanding xenia explains why the suitors' eventual "punishment" is so severe in the eyes of the ancient Greeks.
Next, compare Telemachus's journey to the classic Hero's Journey outlined by Joseph Campbell. You'll notice that while Odysseus follows the "Return" arc, Telemachus is on a "Coming of Age" arc. They are two different types of hero stories happening at the exact same time. It’s brilliant storytelling that still holds up nearly 3,000 years later.