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Greek Gods Role In Homer's The Odyssey

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The gods play a big part within The Odyssey to a point where they interact with the characters were they can aide or hinder them. Athena plays an important role within the first couple of books in The Odyssey. Athena goes to Ithica while disguised as one of Telemachus’ father’s old friends named Mentes. As Mentes, she tells Telemachus to get rid of the people from his father’s land and to ask of his father’s whereabouts in Sparta. Why does Athena approach Telemachus disguised? Greek Gods aren’t usually seen unless the God wants you to see them, but why doesn’t Athena want Telemachus to know it’s her? I would think that having Athena disguised as an old friend would have it cut to the chase, because if Telemachus were to be approached by Athena,
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