Logistics

....poured out sweet sleep over the suitors, and she made their minds to wander with drink, and she cast the cups from their hands. They got up to go to their rest throughout the city.

So, the ship's arranged, the provisions are readied at the palace and the companions are gathered beside the ship. Mentor placed the ship at the end of the harbour, which is at the other side of the bay, as we previously deduced in scroll 2.

Odyssey Book 2 line 371-372 Barry B Powell
Odyssey Book 2 line 375-377 Barry B Powell
Odyssey Book 2 line 381-384 Barry B Powell
Odyssey Book 2 line 384-387 Barry B Powell
Odyssey Book 2 line 391-393 Barry B Powell

The route

Meaning the suitors were so tired and/or drunk they wisely decided to go to bed. Usually these parties continued till deep into the night, but not this day. Let's assume they retired around 19:30. Then Mentor calls Telemachos:

Then the noble companions assembled around it, and the goddess gave encouragement to each man.

Meaning, Mentor or Athena encourages the noble companions, so they were the best of the youths of Mentor's class, all ready for their exam. The waiting now is for the suitors to leave the palace and Penelope to go upstairs. Athena...

"Telemachos, right now your companions with fancy shin guards are sitting ready at the oar. They await your departure. So, let us go! Let us not long delay this journey.

If we assume the suitors left at 19:30, Telemachos leaves the palace around 19:40.

So speaking, Pallas Athena quickly led the way, and Telemachos followed in the footsteps of the goddess. When they came to the ship and the sea, they found their long-haired companions on the shore.

Mentor and Telemachos arrive at the ship, but they don't sail away yet due to a logistical problem, the provisions are still at the palace. In order to be able to estimate how much time it would take to bring the provisions to the ship I walked the route from the palace to the end of the harbour. It took me 50 minutes.

Telemachos tells his friends that nobody else, except the nurse, knows about the trip, not even his mother.

So speaking, he led the way and his crew followed along. The brought and stored everything in the well-costructed ship, just as the dear son of Odysseus ordered.

Let's see if we can match these calculations to the departure time we previously estimated of about 20:00.