Nausithoüs, led them to a new abode,
And planted them in Scheria, far away
From plotting neighbors. With a wall he
fenced
Their city, built them dwellings there, and reared
Fanes to the gods, and changed the plain to fields.
But he had bowed to death, and had gone down
To Hades; and Alcinoüs, whom the gods 14
Endowed with wisdom, governed in his stead.
Now to his palace, planning the return
Of the magnanimous Ulysses, came
The blue-eyed goddess Pallas, entering
The gorgeous chamber where a damsel slept,
Nausicaä, daughter of the large-souled king
Alcinoüs, beautiful in form and face
As one of the immortals. Near her lay,
And by the portal, one on either side,
Fair as the Graces, two attendant maids.
The shining doors were shut. But Pallas came
As comes a breath of air, and stood beside
The damsel's head and spake. In look she
seemed
"Nausicaä, has thy mother then brought forth
A careless housewife? Thy magnificent robes
Lie still neglected, though thy marriage day
Is near, when thou art to array thyself
In seemly garments, and bestow the like
On those who lead thee to the bridal rite;
For thus the praise of men is won, and thus
Thy father and thy gracious mother both
Will be rejoiced. Now with the early dawn
Let us all hasten to the washing-place.
Clad royally, as marveling at her dream
She hastened through the palace to declare
Her purpose to her father and the queen.
She found them both within. Her mother sat
Beside the hearth with her attendant maids,
And turned the distaff loaded with a fleece
Dyed in sea-purple. On the threshold stood
52. laver, cistern for washing, also basin or bowl for water.
And flavoring morsels for the day's repast
Her mother filled a hamper, and poured wine
Into a goatskin. As her daughter climbed
The car, she gave into her hands a cruse
Of gold with smooth anointing oil for her
And her attendant maids. Nausicaä took
The scourge and showy reins, and struck the
mules
Is known among them, though they all are fair,
Such was this spotless virgin midst her maids.
Now when they were about to move for
home
With harnessed mules and with the shining
robes
Carefully folded, then the blue-eyed maid, 140
Pallas, bethought herself of this—to rouse
To urge them onward. Onward with loud Ulysses and to bring him to behold
noise
The bright-eyed maiden, that she might direct
The stranger's way to the Phæacian town.
The royal damsel at a handmaid cast
The ball; it missed, and fell into the stream
Where a deep eddy whirled. All shrieked
aloud.
The great Ulysses started from his sleep
129. Diana, goddess of the moon, the Greek Artemis, represented as a huntress. 130. Taygetus, the highest mountain range in southern_Greece. 131. Erymanthus, a mountain range in southern Greece. 133. Latona, the Roman name of a Greek goddess, the mother of Diana and Apollo.
"Ah me! upon what region am I thrown? What men are here wild, savage, and unjust, Or hospitable and who hold the gods In reverence? There are voices in the air, Womanly voices, as of nymphs that haunt 154 The mountain summits, and the river-founts, And the moist, grassy meadows. Or perchance Am I near men who have the power of speech? Nay, let me then go forth at once and learn.". Thus having said, the great Ulysses left The thicket. From the close-grown wood he rent With his strong hand a branch well set with leaves,
And wound it as a covering round his waist. Then like a mountain lion he went forth, That walks abroad, confiding in his strength, In rain and wind; his eyes shoot fire; he falls On oxen, or on sheep, or forest-deer, For hunger prompts him even to attack The flock within its closely guarded fold. Such seemed Ulysses when about to meet Those fair-haired maidens, naked as he was, But forced by strong necessity. To them 171 His look was frightful, for his limbs were foul With sea-foam yet. To right and left they fled Along the jutting river-banks. Alone The daughter of Alcinoüs kept her place, 175 For Pallas gave her courage and forbade Her limbs to tremble. So she waited there. Ulysses pondered whether to approach The bright-eyed damsel and embrace her knees And supplicate, or, keeping yet aloof, Pray her with soothing words to show the way Townward and give him garments. Musing thus,
Beholding such a scion of their house
Enter the choral dance. But happiest he
Beyond them all, who, bringing princely gifts,
Shall bear thee to his home a bride; for sure
I never looked on one of mortal race,
Woman or man, like thee, and as I gaze
I wonder. Like to thee I saw of late,
In Delos, a young palm-tree growing up
Beside Apollo's altar; for I sailed
To Delos, with much people following me,
On a disastrous voyage. Long I gazed
Upon it wonder-struck, as I am now-
For never from the earth so fair a tree
Had sprung. So marvel I, and am amazed
At thee, O lady, and in awe forbear
To clasp thy knees. Yet much have I endured.
It was but yestereve that I escaped
From the black sea, upon the twentieth day,
So long the billows and the rushing gales 215
Farther and farther from Ogygia's isle
Had borne me. Now upon this shore some god
Casts me, perchance to meet new sufferings
here;
For yet the end is not, and many things
The gods must first accomplish. But do thou,
O queen, have pity on me, since to thee
come the first of all. I do not know
A single dweller of the land beside.
Show me, I pray, thy city; and bestow
Some poor old robe to wrap me-if, indeed,
In coming hither, thou hast brought with thee
Aught poor or coarse. And may the gods
vouchsafe
Are doubtless sent by him, and it is fit 241 That thou submit in patience-now that thou Hast reached our lands, and art within our realm,
Thou shalt not lack for garments nor for aught
Due to a suppliant stranger in his need.
The city I will show thee, and will name
Its dwellers-the Phæacians-they possess
The city; all the region lying round
Is theirs, and I am daughter of the prince
Alcinoüs, large of soul, to whom are given 250
The rule of the Phæacians and their power."
So spake the damsel, and commanded thus
Her fair-haired maids: "Stay! whither do ye
flee,
My handmaids, when a man appears in sight?
Ye think, perhaps, he is some enemy.
Nay, there is no man living now, nor yet
Will live, to enter, bringing war, the land
Of the Phæacians. Very dear are they
To the great gods. We dwell apart, afar
Within the unmeasured deep, amid its waves,
The most remote of men; no other race
Hath commerce with us. This man comes to us
A wanderer and unhappy, and to him
Our cares are due. The stranger and the poor
Are sent by Jove, and slight regards to them
Are grateful. Maidens, give the stranger food
And drink, and take him to the river-side 267
To bathe where there is shelter from the wind."
So spake the mistress; and they stayed their
flight
And bade each other stand, and led the chief
Under a shelter as the royal maid,
Daughter of stout Alcinoüs, gave command,
And laid a cloak and tunic near the spot
To be his raiment, and a golden cruse
Of limpid oil. Then, as they bade him bathe
In the fresh stream, the noble chieftain said:
"Withdraw, ye maidens, hence, while I
prepare
To cleanse my shoulders from the bitter brine,
And to anoint them; long have these my limbs
Been unrefreshed by oil. I will not bathe 280
Before you. I should be ashamed to stand
Unclothed in presence of these bright-haired
maids."
He spake; they hearkened and withdrew, and told
The damsel what he said. Ulysses then 284 Washed the salt spray of ocean from his back And his broad shoulders in the flowing stream, And wiped away the sea-froth from his brows. And when the bath was over, and his limbs
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