Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Critical bibliography
- Biographical sketches
- Telemachus, son of Ulysses
- Book I Telemachus and Mentor, in search of Ulysses, arrive on the island of Calypso; the nymph is still bemoaning the departure of Ulysses
- Book II Telemachus' account of Sesostris' wise rule in Egypt
- Book III Telemachus' tale of the cruelties of Pygmalion and Astarbé at Tyre
- Book IV Mentor reproves Telemachus for too easily falling under Calypso's spell; Telemachus continues his narrative
- Book V The story of Idomeneus, king of Crete, who kills his son and is banished. Mentor refuses the Cretan throne
- Book VI Telemachus falls in love with the nymph Eucharis, but Mentor tears him away from Calypso's island; Venus and Cupid are furious
- Book VII Telemachus and Mentor learn of the violent deaths of Pygmalion and Astarbé; Adoam describes the simplicty of the pastoral land of Bétique
- Book VIII Telemachus and Mentor are tricked by Venus into landing at Salente, the new city of the exiled Idomeneus. Salente prepares for war against the Mandurians
- Book IX Idomeneus describes the founding of Salente, the cause of the war with the Mandurians, and his grief in finding Nestor (hero of the Trojan War) on the opposing side
- Book X Mentor acquaints himself with Salente and instructs Idomeneus in the art of governing; he stresses peace, agriculture, and disinterestedness, and the suppression of luxury
- Book XI Idomeneus tells Mentor of his betrayal by the self-loving Protesilaus, and of the latter's efforts to ruin the virtuous and honest Philocles
- Book XII Telemachus, in the camp of Idomeneus' allies, gains the good will of Philoctetes (who had been on bad terms with Ulysses); Philoctetes gives an account of the death of Hercules
- Book XIII Telemachus' quarrel with Hippias; the king of the Daunians attacks the forces of Idomeneus and the allies. Death and funeral rites of Hippias
- Book XIV Telemachus descends into the infernal regions in search of Ulysses; there, in the Elysian fields, he sees the after-life of just kings. He meets the shade of his great-grandfather, who reveals that Ulysses still lives
- Book XV Telemachus defeats the enemies of Idomeneus and his allies, and vanquishes the treacherous Adastrus (who had killed the son of Nestor)
- Book XVI Telemachus refuses to divide the lands of the vanquished Daunians, and lets them choose a good king from their own numbers
- Book XVII Telemachus returns to Salente to discover Mentor's austere reforms in place: the city no longer overwhelms the countryside. Telemachus falls in love with Antiope, the virtuous daughter of Idomeneus
- Book XVIII Despite Idomeneus' pleas, Telemachus and Mentor leave Salente; Mentor gives his final advice about good government to Telemachus, then reveals himself to be Minerva, goddess of wisdom. Telemachus returns to Ithaca, where he finds his recently returned father, Ulysses
- Index
- Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought
Book V - The story of Idomeneus, king of Crete, who kills his son and is banished. Mentor refuses the Cretan throne
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Critical bibliography
- Biographical sketches
- Telemachus, son of Ulysses
- Book I Telemachus and Mentor, in search of Ulysses, arrive on the island of Calypso; the nymph is still bemoaning the departure of Ulysses
- Book II Telemachus' account of Sesostris' wise rule in Egypt
- Book III Telemachus' tale of the cruelties of Pygmalion and Astarbé at Tyre
- Book IV Mentor reproves Telemachus for too easily falling under Calypso's spell; Telemachus continues his narrative
- Book V The story of Idomeneus, king of Crete, who kills his son and is banished. Mentor refuses the Cretan throne
- Book VI Telemachus falls in love with the nymph Eucharis, but Mentor tears him away from Calypso's island; Venus and Cupid are furious
- Book VII Telemachus and Mentor learn of the violent deaths of Pygmalion and Astarbé; Adoam describes the simplicty of the pastoral land of Bétique
- Book VIII Telemachus and Mentor are tricked by Venus into landing at Salente, the new city of the exiled Idomeneus. Salente prepares for war against the Mandurians
- Book IX Idomeneus describes the founding of Salente, the cause of the war with the Mandurians, and his grief in finding Nestor (hero of the Trojan War) on the opposing side
- Book X Mentor acquaints himself with Salente and instructs Idomeneus in the art of governing; he stresses peace, agriculture, and disinterestedness, and the suppression of luxury
- Book XI Idomeneus tells Mentor of his betrayal by the self-loving Protesilaus, and of the latter's efforts to ruin the virtuous and honest Philocles
- Book XII Telemachus, in the camp of Idomeneus' allies, gains the good will of Philoctetes (who had been on bad terms with Ulysses); Philoctetes gives an account of the death of Hercules
- Book XIII Telemachus' quarrel with Hippias; the king of the Daunians attacks the forces of Idomeneus and the allies. Death and funeral rites of Hippias
- Book XIV Telemachus descends into the infernal regions in search of Ulysses; there, in the Elysian fields, he sees the after-life of just kings. He meets the shade of his great-grandfather, who reveals that Ulysses still lives
- Book XV Telemachus defeats the enemies of Idomeneus and his allies, and vanquishes the treacherous Adastrus (who had killed the son of Nestor)
- Book XVI Telemachus refuses to divide the lands of the vanquished Daunians, and lets them choose a good king from their own numbers
- Book XVII Telemachus returns to Salente to discover Mentor's austere reforms in place: the city no longer overwhelms the countryside. Telemachus falls in love with Antiope, the virtuous daughter of Idomeneus
- Book XVIII Despite Idomeneus' pleas, Telemachus and Mentor leave Salente; Mentor gives his final advice about good government to Telemachus, then reveals himself to be Minerva, goddess of wisdom. Telemachus returns to Ithaca, where he finds his recently returned father, Ulysses
- Index
- Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought
Summary
Telemachus relates that upon his arrival in the isle of Crete he understood that Idomeneus the king, in order to perform an indiscreet vow he had made, had sacrificed his only son; that Cretans, taking up arms to revenge his death, had obliged the father to quit die island; that after much perplexity and uncertainty, they had come to a resolution to choose another, and were assembled for that purpose. Telemachus adds that he was admitted into the assembly; that he bore away the prize in various games, and explained the questions that Minos had left recorded in his law books; that the old men, who were the judges of the island, and the whole body of the people, in consideration of his wisdom, would have chosen him for their king.
Telemachus relates that he refused the crown of Crete, in order to return to Ithaca; that he proposed their electing Mentor, who likewise excused himself; that at last, the assembly importuning Mentor to choose for the whole nation, he acquainted them with what he had heard of the virtues of Aristodemus: who, in consequence of that recommendation was immediately proclaimed king; that Mentor and he then embarked for Ithaca: but that Neptune, to gratify Venus, whom they had offended, had wrecked their ship, when they were received by the goddess Calypso in her island.
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- Fénelon: Telemachus , pp. 58 - 79Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1994