Idomeneus tells Mentor of his betrayal by the self-loving Protesilaus, and of the latter's efforts to ruin the virtuous and honest Philocles

doi:10.1017/CBO9781139170642.013

Book XI - Idomeneus tells Mentor of his betrayal by the self-loving Protesilaus, and of the latter's efforts to ruin the virtuous and honest Philocles

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012

Frangois de Fénelon

Edited by

Patrick Riley

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Patrick Riley: Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Madison

Book contents

Frontmatter
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Critical bibliography
Biographical sketches
Telemachus, son of Ulysses
Book I Telemachus and Mentor, in search of Ulysses, arrive on the island of Calypso; the nymph is still bemoaning the departure of Ulysses
Book II Telemachus' account of Sesostris' wise rule in Egypt
Book III Telemachus' tale of the cruelties of Pygmalion and Astarbé at Tyre
Book IV Mentor reproves Telemachus for too easily falling under Calypso's spell; Telemachus continues his narrative
Book V The story of Idomeneus, king of Crete, who kills his son and is banished. Mentor refuses the Cretan throne
Book VI Telemachus falls in love with the nymph Eucharis, but Mentor tears him away from Calypso's island; Venus and Cupid are furious
Book VII Telemachus and Mentor learn of the violent deaths of Pygmalion and Astarbé; Adoam describes the simplicty of the pastoral land of Bétique
Book VIII Telemachus and Mentor are tricked by Venus into landing at Salente, the new city of the exiled Idomeneus. Salente prepares for war against the Mandurians
Book IX Idomeneus describes the founding of Salente, the cause of the war with the Mandurians, and his grief in finding Nestor (hero of the Trojan War) on the opposing side
Book X Mentor acquaints himself with Salente and instructs Idomeneus in the art of governing; he stresses peace, agriculture, and disinterestedness, and the suppression of luxury
Book XI Idomeneus tells Mentor of his betrayal by the self-loving Protesilaus, and of the latter's efforts to ruin the virtuous and honest Philocles
Book XII Telemachus, in the camp of Idomeneus' allies, gains the good will of Philoctetes (who had been on bad terms with Ulysses); Philoctetes gives an account of the death of Hercules
Book XIII Telemachus' quarrel with Hippias; the king of the Daunians attacks the forces of Idomeneus and the allies. Death and funeral rites of Hippias
Book XIV Telemachus descends into the infernal regions in search of Ulysses; there, in the Elysian fields, he sees the after-life of just kings. He meets the shade of his great-grandfather, who reveals that Ulysses still lives
Book XV Telemachus defeats the enemies of Idomeneus and his allies, and vanquishes the treacherous Adastrus (who had killed the son of Nestor)
Book XVI Telemachus refuses to divide the lands of the vanquished Daunians, and lets them choose a good king from their own numbers
Book XVII Telemachus returns to Salente to discover Mentor's austere reforms in place: the city no longer overwhelms the countryside. Telemachus falls in love with Antiope, the virtuous daughter of Idomeneus
Book XVIII Despite Idomeneus' pleas, Telemachus and Mentor leave Salente; Mentor gives his final advice about good government to Telemachus, then reveals himself to be Minerva, goddess of wisdom. Telemachus returns to Ithaca, where he finds his recently returned father, Ulysses
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Summary

Idomeneus informs Mentor of the confidence he had reposed in Protesilaus, and the artifices of that favorite, who acted in concert with Timocrates in order to ruin Philocles and betray the king himself. He owns that being prepossessed by these two men against Philocles, he had ordered Timocrates to go and put him to death in an expedition in which he commanded his fleet; that Timocrates having failed in his attempt, had been spared by Philocles, who retired to the isle of Samos, after having resigned the command of the fleet to Polymenes, whom Idomeneus himself had nominated in his written order: that, notwithstanding Protesilaus' treachery, he had not been able to prevail upon himself to discard him.

“Protesilaus, who is a little older than myself, was, of all the young men, he whom I loved most. His temper, naturally bold and lively, recommended him to me; he served me in my pleasures; he flattered my passions; and he made me suspicious of another young man whom I had loved likewise, whose name was Philocles. This last feared the gods, and had a greatness of soul with moderation; he placed grandeur not in exalting but in overcoming one's self, and doing nothing that was base. He spoke to me freely of my faults; and even when he did not dare to speak to me, his silence and his melancholy air made me easily guess at what he wanted to reproach me with.[…]”

Type: Chapter
Information: Fénelon: Telemachus , pp. 173 - 197

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139170642.013 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 1994

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Book contents

Book XI - Idomeneus tells Mentor of his betrayal by the self-loving Protesilaus, and of the latter's efforts to ruin the virtuous and honest Philocles

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