A Travel Guide to Homer by John Freely

Author:John Freely
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857734945
Publisher: I.B.Tauris
Published: 2014-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

Then I was aware of your daughter’s attendant women playing

on the beach, and she, looking like the goddesses, went there among them.

I supplicated her, nor did she fail of the right decision;

…

she gave me food in plenty to eat, she gave me gleaming

wine, and a bath in the river. She also gave me this clothing.

Sorrowful as I am, all this is true I have told you.

Alkinoös said that Nausicaa should have brought him directly to the palace, but Odysseus explained how she feared that this might cause embarrassment and anger her father. The king responded by stating: ‘being the man you are and thinking the way that I do,/you could have my daughter and be called my son-in-law, staying/here with me. I would dower you with a house and properties,/if you stayed by your own good will.’

Alkinoös then assured Odysseus that on the following day, after his guest had rested, he would arrange for conveyance back to his home country, while Arete ordered her maids to make up a bed for him in the porch of the palace, whereupon they all retired.

The following morning Alkinoös escorted Odysseus to the place of assembly, where the Phaeaceans now gathered to be addressed by their king, who told them that the stranger had petitioned to be conveyed back to his home country. He went on to say that they would outfit a new ship, manned by fifty-two of the finest young men of the district, which he would provision. He then invited everyone to join him in a feast at the palace, after which he sent a herald to summon the fifty-two youths who would crew the vessel, inviting them to the feast along with the bard Demodokus.

When they had eaten their fill at the feast, the Muse inspired Demodokus to sing of a famous incident during the Trojan War, where Odysseus quarrels with Achilles. Hearing this, Odysseus was moved to tears, drawing the purple mantle across his face to hide his weeping. ‘Alkinoös alone understood what he did and noticed,/since he was sitting next to him and heard him groaning heavily.’

Alkinoös then spoke to the Phaeaceans, saying ‘Now let us all go outside and make our endeavor/in all contests, so that our stranger can tell his friends, after/he reaches his home, by how much we surpass all others/in boxing, wrestling, leaping and speed of our feet for running.’

The first contest was a foot race, which was won by Clytoneus, after which Euryalus surpassed all others in wrestling, Amphialus outdid his competitors in the jump, and Elatreus threw the discus farthest. Euryalus then spoke, addressing Odysseus: ‘Come now you also, father stranger, and try these contests/if you have skill in any.’

Stung by this mockery, and with his mantle still on, Odysseus sprang up and took hold of a discus heavier than the one used by the other competitors. He spun and let it fly, and the Phaeaceans ‘shrank down against the ground, ducking/under the flight of the stone which, speeding from his hand lightly,/overflew the marks of all others’.

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