In theOdyssey,Mentor (Greek: Μέντωρ,Méntōr; gen.: Μέντορος)[1] was the son ofAlcimus. In his old age Mentor was a friend ofOdysseus. When Odysseus left for theTrojan War, he placed Mentor in charge of his sonTelemachus,[2] and of Odysseus' palace.[3]
Athena's appearance as Mentor should not be confused with her appearance asMentes in the first book of theOdyssey.[4]
Because of Mentor's relationship with Telemachus, and the disguised Athena's encouragement and practical plans for dealing with personal dilemmas, the personal nameMentor has been adopted in Latin and other languages, includingEnglish, as a term meaning someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with a less-experienced colleague.
The first recorded modern usage of the term can be traced to a 1699 book entitledLes Aventures de Télémaque by the French writerFrançois Fénelon.[5] In the book the lead character is that of Mentor. This book was very popular during the 18th century and the modern application of the term can be traced to this publication.[5]
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