Mentor (Odyssey)

In the Odyssey, Mentor (Greek: Μέντωρ, Méntōr; gen.: Μέντορος)[1] was the son of Alcimus.

When Odysseus left for the Trojan War, he placed Mentor in charge of his son Telemachus,[2] and of Odysseus' palace.

[4] Because of Mentor's relationship with Telemachus, and the disguised Athena's encouragement and practical plans for dealing with personal dilemmas, the personal name Mentor has been adopted in Latin and other languages, including English, 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 entitled Les Aventures de Télémaque by the French writer François Fénelon.

This book was very popular during the 18th century and the modern application of the term can be traced to this publication.