The Odyssey of Homer

Homer, Alexander Pope

Mentor is a word originating from Odyssey by Homer ( part 1 )

All top leaders began as a mentee of a mentor.

Therefore, when one has achieved the peak, it’s time for you to mentor the young.

The word ‘mentor’ had an interesting origin. It began as a proper noun. It is now both a noun and a verb!

It all began with the Odyssey, a poem. Written in Greek, supposedly by Homer, a blind poet, it tells of the folly of poking an interest into another’s wife. It was the casus belli for the Trojan War.

Mentor is the name of a friend of Odysseus.

When Odysseus left for the Trojan War, he tasked Mentor to care for his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus’ palace.

Mentor, or more appropriately the Goddess Athene who assumed the form and voice of Mentor, appeared in front of Telemachus to advise him thereby giving rise to the current meaning of mentoring and mentor. (See Odyssey book 2 lines 227 to 290.)

This book is translated by Alexander Pope. His most famous quote is?

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