Phemius


In Homer's epic poem the Odyssey, Phemius is an Ithacan poet who performs narrative songs in the house of the absent Odysseus. His audience is made up largely of the suitors, who live in the house while attempting to persuade Penelope to marry one of them. In Book 1 of the poem, Phemius performs at their request a version of the theme The Return from Troy. The performance is heard by Penelope. The story distresses her, since it is a reminder that her own husband has still not returned, and she emerges from her room to ask Phemius to choose a less painful theme. The proposal is overruled by her son Telemachus, because he thinks that a singer shouldn't be forbidden to sing what his heart tells him to sing, and because it is Telemachus' right as householder to decide, not his mother's.
We are told that Phemius performed for the suitors "unwillingly", and so, towards the end of the poem, when all the suitors have been killed, Phemius pleads with Odysseus to spare his life, citing this very reason in his own defence: Telemachus confirms this, and Odysseus relents.
In Book 23, Odysseus instructs Phemius to perform wedding songs, "as loud as his lyre can play", in order to delay news of the suitors' death from spreading until Odysseus and Telemachus can escape to their farm.