book one of Homer's Odyssey titled the God's debate Athena inspires tacus commences with an invocation to the goddess of poetry and epic The Muse where the narrator possibly Homer himself asks her to sing through him the story of odyusa one of the most renowned Greek Heroes of the Trojan War has been held captive by the nymph Calypso on her Island oig for 7 years as he tries to return home to his kingdom in itha a council of deities assembles on Olympus presided by the top God Zeus Athena Zeus's daughter and goddess of wisdom brings up the case of her favorite hero odyusa while his absence in Ithaca leads to chaos his wife Penelope is besieged by suitors Desiring her hand in marriage and the throne and his son tacus is just a boy Zeus recounting the tale of aisus who ignored Divine warning and due Fate by seducing agamemnon's wife and then killing Agame upon his return from Troy concludes that men are quick to blame the gods for their sufferings but fail to accept their own foolishness that leads to their misfortunes Athena seeking help for odyusa Athena disguised as mentes an old family friend of Odysseus visits Ithaca she sees the suitors feasting riotously at the expense of odyusa she informs tmus about his father still being alive and captive instills hope and courage in him advises him to confront the suitors publicly and then to visit pilos and Sparta to inquire about his father's Voyage from survivors of the Trojan War and assert his own reputation in Greece the suitors antinis and uracus deny any wrongdoing blaming Penelope of enticing them yet not choosing a husband Penelope skillfully manipulating her suitors claims a promise to Remar once she completes weaving a burial shroud for her father-in-law lares but she secretly undoes part of her work each night to prolong the completion however she's exposed by her maid servants and the suitors demand completion the book ends with Athena returning to Olympus and tacus realizing that the strange visitor must have been a goddess in Disguise he is inspired to take charge gaining much-needed confidence and resolution to face the critical situation at home the entire book sets the stage for the epic adventure that unfolds in the following books