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know no man. Nay show me the town, give me an old garment
to cast about me, if thou hadst, when thou camest here, any
wrap for the linen. And may the gods grant thee all thy
heart's desire: a husband and a home, and a mind at one
with his may they give--a good gift, for there is nothing
mightier and nobler than when man and wife are of one heart
and mind in a house, a grief to their foes, and to their
friends great joy, but their own hearts know it best.'

Then Nausicaa of the white arms answered him, and said:
'Stranger, forasmuch as thou seemest no evil man nor
foolish--and it is Olympian Zeus himself that giveth weal
to men, to the good and to the evil, to each one as he
will, and this thy lot doubtless is of him, and so thou
must in anywise endure it:--and now, since thou hast come
to our city and our land, thou shalt not lack raiment, nor
aught else that is the due of a hapless suppliant, when he
has met them who can befriend him. And I will show thee the
town, and name the name of the people. The Phaeacians hold
this city and land, and I am the daughter of Alcinous,
great of heart, on whom all the might and force of the
Phaeacians depend.'

Thus she spake, and called to her maidens of the fair
tresses: 'Halt, my maidens, whither flee ye at the sight of
a man? Ye surely do not take him for an enemy? That mortal
breathes not, and never will be born, who shall come with
war to the land of the Phaeacians, for they are very dear
to the gods. Far apart we live in the wash of the waves,
the outermost of men, and no other mortals are conversant
with us. Nay, but this man is some helpless one come hither
in his wanderings, whom now we must kindly entreat, for all
strangers and beggars are from Zeus, and a little gift is
dear. So, my maidens, give the stranger meat and drink, and
bathe him in the river, where withal is a shelter from the
winds.'

So she spake, but they had halted and called each to the
other, and they brought Odysseus to the sheltered place,
and made him sit down, as Nausicaa bade them, the daughter
of Alcinous, high of heart. Beside him they laid a mantle,
and a doublet for raiment, and gave him soft olive oil in
the golden cruse, and bade him wash in the streams of the
river. Then goodly Odysseus spake among the maidens,
saying: 'I pray you stand thus apart, while I myself wash
the brine from my shoulders, and anoint me with olive oil,
for truly oil is long a stranger to my skin. But in your
sight I will not bathe, for I am ashamed to make me naked
in the company of fair-tressed maidens.'

Then they went apart and told all to their lady. But with
the river water the goodly Odysseus washed from his skin
the salt scurf that covered his back and broad shoulders,
and from his head he wiped the crusted brine of the barren
sea. But when he had washed his whole body, and anointed
him with olive oil, and had clad himself in the raiment
that the unwedded maiden gave him, then Athene, the
daughter of Zeus, made him greater and more mighty to
behold, and from his head caused deep curling locks to
flow, like the hyacinth flower. And as when some skilful
man overlays gold upon silver--one that Hephaestus and
Pallas Athene have taught all manner of craft, and full of
grace is his handiwork--even so did Athene shed grace about
his head and shoulders.

Then to the shore of the sea went Odysseus apart, and sat
down, glowing in beauty and grace, and the princess
marvelled at him, and spake among her fair-tressed maidens,
saying:

'Listen, my white-armed maidens, and I will say somewhat.
Not without the will of all the gods who hold Olympus hath
this man come among the godlike Phaeacians. Erewhile he
seemed to me uncomely, but now he is like the gods that
keep the wide heaven. Would that such an one might be
called my husband, dwelling here, and that it might please
him here to abide! But come, my maidens, give the stranger
meat and drink.'

Thus she spake, and they gave ready ear and hearkened, and
set beside Odysseus meat and drink, and the steadfast
goodly Odysseus did eat and drink eagerly, for it was long
since he had tasted food.

Now Nausicaa of the white arms had another thought. She
folded the raiment and stored it in the goodly wain, and
yoked the mules strong of hoof, and herself climbed into
the car. Then she called on Odysseus, and spake and hailed
him: 'Up now, stranger, and rouse thee to go to the city,
that I may convey thee to the house of my wise father,
where, I promise thee, thou shalt get knowledge of all the
noblest of the Phaeacians. But do thou even as I tell thee,
and thou seemest a discreet man enough. So long as we are
passing along the fields and farms of men, do thou fare
quickly with the maidens behind the mules and the chariot,
and I will lead the way. But when we set foot within the
city,--whereby goes a high wall with towers, and there is a
fair haven on either side of the town, and narrow is the
entrance, and curved ships are drawn up on either hand of
the mole, for all the folk have stations for their vessels,
each man one for himself. And there is the place of
assembly about the goodly temple of Poseidon, furnished
with heavy stones, deep bedded in the earth. There men look
to the gear of the black ships, hawsers and sails, and
there they fine down the oars. For the Phaeacians care not
for bow nor quiver, but for masts, and oars of ships, and
gallant barques, wherein rejoicing they cross the grey sea.
Their ungracious speech it is that I would avoid, lest some
man afterward rebuke me, and there are but too many
insolent folk among the people. And some one of the baser
sort might meet me and say: "Who is this that goes with
Nausicaa, this tall and goodly stranger? Where found she
him? Her husband he will be, her very own. Either she has
taken in some shipwrecked wanderer of strange men,--for no
men dwell near us; or some god has come in answer to her
instant prayer; from heaven has he descended, and will have
her to wife for evermore. Better so, if herself she has
ranged abroad and found a lord from a strange land, for
verily she holds in no regard the Phaeacians here in this
country, the many men and noble who are her wooers." So
will they speak, and this would turn to my reproach. Yea,