I
The land on which Odysseus had thus been cast like a piece of broken
wreckage was called Phæacia, and derived its name from the Phæacians,
a race of famous mariners, who had settled there some fifty years
before, having been driven from their former seat by the Cyclopes, a
savage tribe, who dwelt on their borders. The Phæacians were an
unwarlike people, and being in no condition to resist the fierce
assaults of these lawless neighbours, they abandoned their homes and
built a new city on a little peninsula, connected with the mainland by
a narrow isthmus. Defended by strong walls they were now safe against
all attacks, and they soon grew rich and prosperous in the exercise of
a thriving trade.
At this time the king of the Phæacians was Alcinous, who had a fair
daughter, named Nausicaä. On the night when Odysseus lay couched in
his bed of leaves Nausicaä was sleeping in her bower, and with her
were two handmaids, whose beds were set on either side of the door.
And in a dream she seemed to hear one of her girlish friends, the
daughter of a neighbouring house, speaking to her thus: "Nausicaä, why
art thou grown so careless as to suffer all the raiment in thy
father's house to remain unwashen, when thy bridal day is so near?
Wouldst thou be wedded in soiled attire, and have all thy friends clad
unseemly, to put thee to shame? These are a woman's cares, by which
she wins a good report among men, and gladdens her mother's heart.
Arise, therefore, at break of day, and beg thy father to let harness
the mules to the wain, that thou mayest take the linen to the place of
washing, far away by the river's side. I will go with thee, and help
thee in the work."
So dreamed Nausicaä, and so spake the vision. But the voice which
seemed the voice of her friend came from no mortal lips; it was Athene
herself who had visited the maiden's bower, in her care for Odysseus,
that he might get safe conduct to the city of the Phæacians. And when
she had done her errand the goddess went back to Olympus, where is the
steadfast, everlasting seat of the blessed gods, not shaken of any
wind, nor wet with rain, nor chilled by snow, but steeped for ever in
cloudless, sunny air. There the gods abide for ever and take their
delight.
Nausicaä rose betimes, with her mind full of the dream, and went down
to the hall, where she found her mother sitting by the hearth with her
women, spinning the bright sea-purple thread. Inquiring for her father
she learnt that he had but that moment gone forth to attend the
council of elders, and hastening after him she found him before the
doors of the house.
"Father," she said, "may I have the waggon to take the household
raiment to the place of washing? Thou thyself hast ever need of clean
garments when thou goest to the council, and my brothers will reproach
me if they lack clean raiment when they go to the dance."
Thus spake the maiden, being ashamed to make mention of her own
marriage. But Alcinous knew, and smiled to himself, as he ordered his
thralls to prepare the waggon. So when they had harnessed the mules,
Nausicaä and her handmaids brought the soiled garments, and bestowed
them behind the seat. And her mother brought a basket with food for
the midday meal and oil for her daughter and the other maidens when
they took their bath. Then they took their seats, Nausicaä grasped the
reins, and they went off at a sharp trot towards the riverside.
After a pleasant drive, they came to the place where stood a row of
cisterns on the river's bank. There they unharnessed the mules, and
left them to crop the sweet clover in the water-meadows. Then they
unloaded the waggon, threw the garments into washing-troughs, and trod
them with their feet until they were thoroughly cleansed, and having
wrung them out, they spread them on the white pebbly beach to dry.
While the garments were bleaching in the wholesome sun and air, they
took their bath, and afterwards sat down to the midday meal. When that
was ended, they threw off their veils, and stood up to play at ball.
It was a pretty and graceful sight; they were all comely maidens,
glowing with youth and health. Their sport was accompanied by dance
and song, and as they chased the flying ball, keeping time with hand
and foot and voice, they seemed like a choir of mountain nymphs, led
by Artemis, when she goes forth to the chase, in the wild valleys of
Arcady or Lacedæmon. Tallest and fairest of them all was Nausicaä, who
led the sport, moving like a queen among her vassals.
Presently they grew tired of their sport, and Nausicaä flung the ball
for the last time to one of her handmaids. The girl missed the ball,
and it fell into the middle of the river, whereupon the whole company
set up a sharp cry. The sound came to the ears of Odysseus, and woke
him from his long slumber. He sat up in his bed of leaves and communed
with himself: "Behold I hear the shrill cry of women, or perhaps of
the nymphs who haunt this wild place. Now may I learn of what sort are
the natives of this land, whether they be fierce and inhospitable, or
gentle and kind to strangers." Plucking a leafy bough, and holding it
before him to cover himself, he stepped forth from the thicket, and
came in sight of that gentle company. Grim and dreadful he looked,
like a hungry lion, buffeted by rain and wind, who goes forth in a
tempest to seek his prey; for he was haggard with long fasting, and
sore disfigured by his battle with the sea; his eyes glared with
famine, and his hair and beard hung ragged and unkempt about his face.
At this fearful apparition the maidens fled shrieking along the river
bank, all but Nausicaä, who stood her ground, and gazed fearlessly,
though in wonder, while Odysseus came slowly forward. When he was
still some way off he stopped, fearing to offend her delicacy if he
came nearer. Then with a gesture of entreaty he began to speak, and
Nausicaä knew at once that it was no common man who stood before her.
"Have pity on me, O queen!" he began, in soft and insinuating tones.
"Art thou a goddess, or a mortal woman? If thou art a goddess, thou
seemest to me most like to Artemis, daughter of great Zeus, both in
face, and in stature, and in form. But if thou art mortal, then thrice
blessed are thy father and mother, and thrice blessed thy brethren,
and their spirits are refreshed because of thee, when thou goest, a
very rose of beauty, to the dance. Happy the man who wins thee for his
bride! Never yet have I seen the like of thee among all the children
of men. Only once have I beheld aught to compare unto thee, a young
palm-tree which I saw growing tall and straight by the altar of Apollo
at Delos. I saw it, and was amazed, for it was wondrous fair; and even
so is my soul filled with wonder and dread when I look upon thy face,
so that I am afraid to draw near unto thee, though sore is my need.
Yesterday I was flung naked on thy coast, after a voyage of twenty
days. Many things have I suffered, and more, I ween, remains for me in
store; for I am a man of many woes. Have compassion on me, dread lady!
I am thy suppliant, and to thee first I address my prayer. Show me the
way to the city, and give me a cloth to wrap round me, that I may go
among the people without shame. And may the gods give thee all,
whatsoever thy heart desireth, a husband and a home, and happy wedded
love, shedding warmth in thine house, and a strong defence against all
ills from without, but above all a sacred treasure in thy husband's
heart, and in thine."
"Whatever be thy misfortunes," answered Nausicaä, "I am sure they are
not the fruit of thine own folly or wickedness. And since thou art
come as a suppliant to this land of ours, thou shalt want nothing,
whether it be raiment, or aught else that befits thy state. I will
show thee our city, and tell thee the name of the people. Know that
thou hast come to the country of the Phæacians, whose ruler and king
is Alcinous, and I am his daughter."
Then she called to her handmaids, who were looking on, half
frightened, half curious, from behind rocks and trees, a long way off,
ready to resume their flight at the slightest alarm: "Come hither, and
fear not the man; neither he nor any other shall ever come to this
land with thoughts of harm; for we are very dear to the immortal gods.
Far away we dwell amidst the rolling seas, remote from the haunts of
men. But this is some hapless wanderer, driven by chance to our
shores, and we must cherish him, for from Zeus come all strangers and
beggars, and a little gift is a great thing to them. Take the stranger
to a sheltered place, where he may wash and dress him, and give him
wherewithal to clothe himself, and after that, meat and drink."
When they heard the words of their mistress the girls came stealing
timidly back, one by one. And they gave Odysseus clean raiment, and
when he had washed and clothed himself, he came back to the place
where Nausicaä was waiting. Wonderful was the change which had been
made in his appearance by the refreshing bath and fitting apparel.
Instead of the squalid, battered wretch who had begged for countenance
and shelter, Nausicaä saw before her a stalwart, stately man,
broad-shouldered, and deep of chest, with dark clustering hair and
beard, like the curling hyacinth, and an air of majesty and command.
"Hear me, friends," whispered Nausicaä, as she saw him coming,
"methinks some god hath wrought a miracle on this man, who but now was
so hideous to behold. Would that we might prevail with him to make his
abode among us! She would be a proud maiden who should wed with such
as him. Now give the stranger food and drink." And they did so, and
Odysseus ate and drank with keen appetite, having tasted nothing for
many days. While he was eating, the maidens folded the garments and
placed them in the waggon, and when he had finished, Nausicaä mounted
the waggon, and bidding him and the handmaids follow on foot started
the mules and drove slowly towards the city. When they reached the
cultivated lands outside the walls she drew up, and addressed Odysseus
thus: "Stranger, I may not go with thee further, for I fear the
envious tongues of the citizens, who will point the finger at us and
say: 'See what a tall and handsome stranger Nausicaä hath brought with
her!--some seafaring man whom she hath brought with her to be her
husband, since she despises the men of her own nation.' And this will
be a reproach unto me. Therefore wait thou awhile, and do as I bid
thee. Not far from here is a temple and grove of Athene, a fair
coppice of poplar-trees, and a spring of clear water. Go thou thither,
and wait until we have time to reach my father's house, then rise and
go into the city and inquire for the dwelling of Alcinous. A little
child could show thee the way, for there is none like it in all the
city."
[Illustration: Odysseus and Nausicaä]
So saying, Nausicaä drove on, leaving Odysseus where he was. He soon
found the temple, and going in knelt down and prayed to the goddess to
continue her favour. When he thought that Nausicaä had had time to
reach home, he rose and went into the city. The road lay along a
narrow causeway, which connected the city with the mainland, and on
either side was a sheltered haven, with ships drawn up on the beach.
Passing through the gates he came next to the place of assembly, in
front of a temple of Poseidon, with a circle of massive stones bedded
deeply in the earth. Wherever he looked he saw signs of a busy
seafaring people--masts, and oars, and great coils of rope--and his
ears were filled with the sound of saw and hammer from the
shipwrights' yards.