In Greek mythology, Mentor (Greek: Μέντωρ, Méntōr; gen.: Μέντορος) was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus or Heracles and Asopis. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.
When Athena visited Telemachus she took the disguise of Mentor to hide herself from the suitors of Telemachus' mother Penelope. As Mentor, the goddess encouraged Telemachus to stand up against the suitors and go abroad to find out what happened to his father. When Odysseus returned to Ithaca, Athena appeared briefly in the form of Mentor again at Odysseus' palace.
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 English as a term meaning someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with a less experienced colleague.
Read more about Mentor: Mentor As Term, "Mentee"
Famous quotes containing the word mentor:
“All mothers need instruction, nurturing, and an understanding mentor after the birth of a baby, but in this age of fast foods, fast tracks, and fast lanes, it doesnt always happen. While we live in a society that provides recognition for just about every life eventfrom baptisms to bar mitzvahs, from wedding vows to funeral ritesthe entry into parenting seems to be a solo flight, with nothing and no one to mark formally the new moms entry into motherhood.”
—Sally Placksin (20th century)
“The ordinary literary man, even though he be an eminent historian, is ill-fitted to be a mentor in affairs of government. For ... things are for the most part very simple in books, and in practical life very complex.”
—Woodrow Wilson (18561924)
“Its not that we have too much mother, but too little father. We cant forgive our mothers for taking the place of our fathers until we are ready to see that the point of a mans life is to be a father and a mentor, and we cant do that because we dont know how we would be a father or a mentor when we never had one.”
—Frank Pittman (20th century)