Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive to Menelaus' palace, where the king is celebrating his son's and daughter's respective nuptials. Menelaus instructs his attendant Eteoneus to invite strangers to a feast so that he might appreciate the hospitality he experienced from strangers on his travels. Maids wash, oil, and outfit the passengers, and they are served food and wine. Telemachus tells Pisistratus that the magnificence of Menelaus' palace must be comparable to Olympus, but Menelaus points out that no human man can compare to Zeus. He narrates his eight-year journey, the fortune he accumulated, and his grief over his brother's death. He would have preferred to stay at home with with a portion of this money if it could have reversed the deaths of the warriors at Troy, he argues. Menelaus says he mourns for all his colleagues, but he mourns the most for Odysseus since he toiled the hardest yet suffered the most. Telemachus weeps as he hears his father mentioned so gently, and Menelaus realizes he's speaking to Odysseus' son. Helen, Menelaus' wife, emerges from her chamber and inquires about the guests, assuming that one of them is Telemachus. They all agree that the young guy looks a lot like Odysseus, and Pisistratus verifies their identities. Helen injects a medication into the wine, causing the men to forget their woes. She tells the visitors about Odysseus' victory of Troy, describing how he sneaked into the city dressed as a beggar, slaughtered many Trojans, and returned to his army with important knowledge about the enemy. Only Helen knew him, but she didn't reveal his identity since, by then, she had repented of her adultery and yearned to return home to her husband and kid. Menelaus praises her tale and recalls how Helen imitated the sounds of the soldiers' wives in an attempt to entice Odysseus' colleagues away from the wooden horse in which they had infiltrated Troy. Odysseus restrained the warriors and spared their lives. After Menelaus concludes his narrative, everyone returns to their respective chambers and falls asleep. Menelaus asks Telemachus whether he has come to discuss a public or private matter in the morning. Telemachus explains the shameful actions of the suitors and urges Menelaus to tell him what he knows about Odysseus. The king informs Telemachus that the gods imprisoned him in quiet waters on the island of Pharos as a punishment for an insufficient offering. When the crew's supplies ran out, Menelaus met Eidothea, Proteus's daughter, who chose to assist him. She encouraged him to surprise Proteus by dressing up as seals, lurking in the cave where Proteus slept, and ambushing him as he lay down to rest. She informed him that Proteus will assume many various forms, but if they hang on to him until he speaks, he will tell them how to cross the sea and return home. Eidothea brought Menelaus and three other men to Proteus's resting spot before daybreak and wrapped them in sealskins. Proteus soon emerged, the men ambushed him, and Proteus transformed himself into a lion, a serpent, a panther, a boar, a stream of water, and a tree. Nonetheless, the guys clung to him until he began to talk. Menelaus inquired as to how he may flee Pharos and return home. Menelaus was persuaded by Proteus to return to Egypt and offer magnificent offerings to the gods. Proteus also told him that Ajax was killed by Poseidon and Agamemnon was killed by Aegisthus. Odysseus was stranded on Calypso's island, according to Proteus.The next morning, Menelaus and his troops sailed out for Egypt, where they performed magnificent offerings to the gods. The gods then enabled them to safely return home. The suitors feast and enjoy themselves at Odysseus' palace while Telemachus and Menelaus feast in the king's palace. A citizen informs Antinous and Eurymachus that Telemachus has sailed to Pylos with a large crew and a deity on board. The suitors are enraged and plot to assassinate the prince on his way home. Medon, the royal herald, overhears their preparations and tells Penelope about them. The queen is distraught when she learns of Telemachus' departure; she begs Athena to save her son, and Athena answers her pleas. Meanwhile, the suitors assemble a crew of twenty men and construct a ship. Penelope is troubled in bed; as she falls asleep, Athena sends a ghost in the form of Penelope's sister to convince her that her son is safe with Athena. Penelope interrogates the phantom about Odysseus, but the phantom remains silent. The suitors travel to the island of Asteris and wait for the prince to return home.
