Great Books Ep 31: The Odyssey Book 3: Candor: The Best Policy, Even in Difficult Conversations

It is important, to tell the truth, even if it is hard. Not being direct in conversations and sugar coating to protect someone leads to more confusion and complications.

“Do not soften things out of any pity for me, but tell me in all plainness exactly what you saw.”

~ The Odyssey - Book III (Samuel Butler Translation. p194)

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Let’s have a discussion about Book 3 of The Odyssey by Homer. In Book 3, Telemachus reaches Pylos and speaks to Nestor, a wise and elderly king who had fought alongside Ulysses. He says to Nestor - …