The narrative poem in the Portuguese language

Abstract

Upon hearing Phemius' song about the failure of the Achaeans' return after the Trojan War, Penelope abandons her loom and goes to the hall, where her suitors are listening to the bard during the banquet. Saddened, the lady of Ithaca asks Phemius to choose another theme, as that song reminded her of Odysseus' absence, whose fate remained unknown. Faced with his mother's lament and request, Telemachus intervenes, arguing that the bard is not responsible for the events he narrates, and states: "the man most applauds the unpublished poem / resounding in his ear" (Homer, 2014, Book I, vv. 351-352). Subsequently, Telemachus puts the mother's particular pain into perspective, arguing that it is necessary to encourage the heart and spirit to listen to what the bard narrates, "for not only was Odysseus deprived of his return, / but numerous Greeks were killed by the Trojans" (Homer, 2014, Book I, vv. 354-355).