THE BANQUET IN HONOR OF ODYSSEUS
Alkinoös now ordered a sumptuous feast in honor of his guest. When
the table was spread, the herald who had gone for Demodokos came in
leading the bard, who was blind. The gods had deprived him of sight,
but had bestowed upon him the gift of song. They gave him a seat on
a silver throne, amid the guests, and hung his harp against a lofty
pillar, close above his head, where he could easily reach it.
When all had eaten and drunk as much as they desired, Demodokos took
his lyre and began to sing about the heroes of Troy. It was a song
whose fame had reached over the whole world, the story of a friendly
strife between Achilles and Odysseus before Troy, in which Achilles
held that Troy would fall by force, but Odysseus maintained that it
would come to an end through the cunning of a few brave Greeks.
All the guests enjoyed listening to the thrilling song, but Odysseus
was deeply touched, and tears fell from his eyes. He brushed them
away stealthily, so that no one should observe them, and drew a large
purple veil over his face until the song was finished, when he put
it away and took a goblet of wine, which he poured out on the ground
as a libation to the gods.
Again the minstrel took his harp and sang, and again Odysseus wept.
Alkinoös noticed that the song of Demodokos moved Odysseus to tears,
and thought it might be well to stay the music awhile and begin the
games, that the stranger might witness the athletic skill of the
Phæacians. All the princes instantly arose and walked down to the
market-place, the king leading and the people following.
When the chiefs had taken their seats a great number of young men
hastened forward to begin the games. Some of them darted over the
plain in a foot-race, raising a cloud of dust. Others strove with
all their might in wrestling-matches, while some threw the quoit or
played at boxing and leaping. After they had enjoyed looking at the
games, Laodamas, a son of Alkinoös, said to his friends: "Let us ask
the stranger to take part in the games. His strong arms and legs and
powerful neck show that he is no weakling. Nor has he lost his youthful
vigor after all his hardships, although nothing tires a man so much
as being tossed about on the sea."
Then the friends of Laodamas advised him to challenge Odysseus to
take part in the games; and this seemed right to the prince, so he
said to him: "Father, I think thou must be skilful in these games.
Let us see thee try them. We will not delay thee long. Thy ship is
ready for thee on the sea, and the crew is there, waiting. But there
is no greater glory or pleasure for a man than to excel in swiftness
of foot and strength of muscle."
Odysseus answered him: "Why dost thou urge me, O Laodamas? How can
I take part in the games or find any pleasure in them after all that
I have suffered? Here I sit, a suppliant, praying to be sent back
to my wife and home." Then Euryalos scoffed at him, saying: "Thou
art right, stranger, for thy countenance shows thou art anything but
an athlete.
"Methinks thou art the owner of some merchant-vessel. Thou art a
trader, whose head is full of bargains. Such men can take heed of
nothing except how to increase wealth."
These mocking words vexed Odysseus, and he retorted: "My friend, thou
dost not speak like a man of good mind. The gods do not bestow their
gifts equally on all men. To thee they have given great beauty, but
they have denied thee wit. Thy words carry no weight. Learn, then,
that I am not unskilled in the games. When I was young and strong
I was one of the best athletes. But even now, after all my shipwrecks
and hardships, I will strive with thee, for thy words are offensive
and challenge me to the proof."
Having said this, Odysseus seized a much larger and heavier quoit
than the Phæacian prince could use, and swinging it in his powerful
hand he hurled it forth. The stone whirred through the air and fell
to the ground away beyond the marks of the other disks. Then Athena
took the form of a Phæacian and set a mark where the quoit fell, and
exclaimed as she did so: "Stranger, even a blind man could easily
find thy mark, for it is far beyond the others. Sit down in peace
and do not fear that anybody else can throw so far." Odysseus was
pleased when he heard these friendly words. With a light heart he
said to the Phæacian youths: "Reach my mark, if you can, young men,
and I will send a stone farther yet. But if you cannot reach it, and
prefer a match at boxing or wrestling or foot-race, come forth. I
am ready to try any of the games with you. I can throw a spear farther
than any of you can shoot an arrow. I fear nothing unless it may be
the foot-race, for I have lost my strength with want of food and being
tossed by the waves."
He ended, and King Alkinoös stepped forward, for the young men were
all silent. "Stranger," he said, "thou art our dearly loved guest,
and no one can doubt thy bravery. We do not boast that we are fine
boxers or wrestlers. We excel in the dance and are unsurpassed in
sailing ships. Come, then, young men, show your skill in dancing,
that our guest may tell his people when he reaches his home how much
we outdo all others in that art. And let a herald hasten to the palace
and bring the lyre of Demodokos, which has been left there."
The young men arranged themselves in two rows on the polished floors
and began the dance, while the minstrel, standing in their midst,
played on the lyre and sang most sweetly. Odysseus looked on and
greatly admired the swift and rhythmical movements of their feet.
All danced very well; but two of the sons of the king came out and
danced alone, for none of the others equalled them. One of them held
a golden ball in his hand, and bending backward threw it so high that
it seemed to touch the clouds. The other sprang up and caught it easily
before it touched the ground.
They both danced, going through intricate and rhythmical figures,
while the other young men stood around in a circle and clapped their
hands, keeping time. Then Odysseus said to Alkinoös: "Truly, no one
excels the Phæacian princes in dancing. I see the twinkling of their
feet with amazement."
These words pleased Alkinoös greatly, and he said to his people:
"Listen, my chiefs, for our guest seems to be a wise man. It becomes
us now to bestow upon him the gifts of hospitality. In this land there
are twelve kings. I am the thirteenth. Let each one of us bring a
fine cloak, and a tunic, and a talent of gold, that our guest may
see them before he partakes of the evening banquet. And let Euryalos,
who spoke such scoffing words to him, try to win back his friendship
and bring a costly gift." All the chiefs approved the words of King
Alkinoös, and each one sent a servant to his house to bring a valuable
present.
Euryalos cheerfully obeyed the king. He brought a brass sword with
a silver hilt to Odysseus, and said: "My father, if I have uttered
any offensive word to thee, may the winds scatter all remembrance
of it. May the gods grant thee a speedy return to thy country, where
thou shalt see thy wife and friends from whom thou hast so long been
separated."
Odysseus answered: "Hail to thee, also, my friend! May the gods give
thee all that there is good, and may no need of this sword ever come
to thee." Odysseus took the sword and threw it across his shoulders.
The sun had set, and the servants carried the gifts to the royal palace,
where the queen took care of them. King Alkinoös led the way to the
palace, his guest at his side and the princes following. When they
had taken their seats on high thrones, the king told his wife to lay
the royal presents in a chest, adding a much richer cloak and tunic
than anyone else had given as a gift from himself.
Aretè did as her husband wished, and placed a beautiful cup of gold
also in the chest, and led Odysseus up to look at the presents. Then
she taught him how to lock the chest and unlock it, and her maids
called him to a warm bath, after which he anointed himself with
fragrant oil and put on fresh garments.
While he was wending his way to the men who sat before their wine,
he met Nausicaä in her goddess-like beauty, standing near a pillar.
"Stranger, farewell," she said. "I wish thee joy and a safe return
to thy native land. Do not forget that I was the first to befriend
thee in the land of the Phæacians."
Odysseus answered: "May the gods be as sure to favor my return to
my home as I shall be to make a prayer daily in thy behalf, fair maiden,
who hath saved my life." Then Odysseus entered the great hall and
took his place at the feast.