When Telemachus and his crew, accompanied by Athene in the guise of Mentor, reach Pylos they find King Nestor and his sons on the beach offering sacrifice to Poseidon. Telemachus and Athene are received graciously, and are invited to the palace for dinner.

Telemachus identifies himself after eating, and explains to King Nestor why he has come to seek him. King Nestor then goes into a long-winded speech about the Trojan expedition. He says that after the war a dispute arose between Agamemnon and his brother, Menelaus. The army, then, divided into two groups and sailed homed separately. Well, Odysseus started off with Nestor, but another quarrel took place at Tenedos, and Odysseus left to join Agamemnon. This was the last time Nestor had seen him. After some more talk about the arrivals home of the other heroes, King Nestor suggests that Telemachus goes to see Menelaus about his father since he is the one who has the most recent information on him. Telemachus and Mentor agree. Later on, Telemachus accepts to stay for the night.

In the morning, Nestor supplies Telemachus with a chariot and has Peisistratus, his youngest son, accompany him to Sparta to see Menelaus.

Book IV

There is a great feast in progress, celebrating the impending weddings of the king's sons and daughters, when Telemachus and Peisistratus arrive at the palace of Menelaus in Sparta. They are welcomed are join the feast.

During the course of conversation, while eating, Menelaus refers to Odysseus several times. When Telemachus hears this he begins to weep. Queen Helen then joins the feast and notices how Telemachus resembles his father. She mentions to her husband, and then Peisistratus then introduces himself and Telemachus. Feeling that it would not be good to talk about sad memories during the feast, Menenlaus decides to discuss Telemachus' business tomorrow morning.

The next day Menelaus and Telemachus havea private meeting about his father. Menelaus says that when he was blown off course down to Egypt he encountered Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea, whom he forced to give hime information. Proteus told him of the happenings and whereabouts of his fellow comrades from the Trojan War. He told him of all the people who made it home, and he told him about Agamemnon being killed by Aegisthus. Then Proteus informed him that Odysseus is still alive and on the island of the nymph Calypso. Telemachus thanks Menelaus for his helpful information and leaves.

Meanwhile, on Ithaca, the suitors discover that Telemachus has left. So they decide to prepare a ship and kill Telemachus when he sails into Ithaca. Penelope finally finds out about Telemachus going on his voyage when her servant told her. She then becomes even more overcome by grief and locks herself in her room. That night Athene sends a dream in which Penelope's sister appears to her and tells her that Telemachus is safe.