Who are Odysseus' many mentors throughout the book?

        Throughout the Odyssey, Odyssseus encountered many individuals who acted as

mentors, meaning they gave him instruction.  Among these individuals were Calypso,

Nausicaa, Hermes, Circe and Teiresias.

       After the goddess Calypso had forced Odysseus to live with her for around 9

years, she was given orders from Zeus to release Odysseus.  Before she allowed

Odysseus to leave, she instructed him in the construction of a raft that would carry him

across the sea.

       Odyseus was carried, by raft, to the land of the Phaeacians, where he met Nausicaa,

daughter of the Phaecian king.  Odysseus needed to talk to her father to get a trip home,

so she instructed him not enter her father's castle with her since people who live there

may feel offended that she prefers the company of him, a foreigner.

       When in the company of the Phaecians, Odysseus told of his experience with Circe,

a goddess who imprisons his men.  When Odysseus set out to liberate his men, he is

met by the god Hermes, who instructed Odysseus on how he could save his men.  When

Odysseus freed his men, he spent some time with Circe, who instructed him to go to the

Land of the Dead, where he would receive counseling from the dead prophet Teiresias. 

She also warned him of the dangers ahead in his journey

        Odysseus arrived at the Land of the Dead and talked to the dead prophet Teiresias,

who counseled Odysseus on all that he needed to do to return home.  He also cautioned

Odysseus as to what he should not do, lest he would never return home.  Though

Odysseus heeded these cautions, his men did not.  Consequently, they were all killed.

        Odysseus was mentored by these 5 people, but what should also be noticed is that

whenever Odysseus was humble enough to heed someone else's counseling and not

follow his instincts, he was safe.  When he did not, however, he was punished.