What does Athena tell Telemachus to do?

In The Odyssey, Athena tells Telemachus to stop sitting helplessly in Ithaca and take action: he should confront the suitors, gather a crew, sail to Pylos and Sparta, and search for news of Odysseus.

Athena first comes to Telemachus disguised as Mentes, a friend of his family. She tells him that Odysseus is still alive, held captive on a distant island, and that he will return home. Then she urges Telemachus to begin acting like Odysseus’s son. He must call attention to the suitors’ disgraceful behavior, demand that they leave the household, and prepare to travel for information about his father.

Her practical advice is clear: Telemachus should gather a ship and crew, sail first to Pylos to question King Nestor, then go to Sparta to question King Menelaus. If he learns Odysseus is alive, he should keep waiting. If he learns Odysseus is dead, he should give him proper funeral honors and allow Penelope to marry again. Athena also tells him that he must eventually avenge his father by killing the suitors, just as Orestes avenged Agamemnon.

Athena keeps guiding him after that. When Telemachus loses confidence, she reassures him, helps assemble his crew, and later tells him to return from Sparta to Ithaca while avoiding the suitors’ ambush. Her advice pushes Telemachus from passive grief into action, beginning his journey toward manhood.