_The splendours of the house of King Alcinous--Queen
Arete wants to know where Ulysses got his shirt and
cloak, for she knows them as her own work--Ulysses
explains_.
When Nausicaa reached home her brothers attended to the
waggon and mules, and her waiting-woman Eurymedusa lit
the fire and brought her supper for her into her own room.
Presently Ulysses considered it safe to come on, and 14
entered the town enveloped in a thick mist which Minerva
shed round him for his protection from any rudeness that
the Phæacians might offer him. She also met him outside
the town disguised as a little girl carrying a pitcher.
Ulysses saw her in spite of the mist, and asked her 21
to show him the way to the house of Alcinous; this,
she said, she could easily do, and when they reached
the house she told Ulysses all about the king's family
history, and advised him how he should behave himself.
"Be bold," she said; "boldness always tells, no matter 50
where a man comes from. First find the mistress of the
house. She is of the same family as her husband, and
her descent is in this wise. Eurymedon was king of the
giants, but he and his people were overthrown, and he
lost his own life. His youngest daughter was Peribœa,
a woman of surpassing beauty, who gave birth by Neptune
to Nausithous, king of the Phæacians. He had two sons, 62
Rhexenor and Alcinous; Rhexenor died young, leaving an
only daughter, Arete, whom her uncle Alcinous married,
and whom he honours as no other woman in the whole world
is honoured by her husband. All her family and all her
neighbours adore her as a friend and peacemaker, for she
is a thoroughly good woman. If you can gain her good
offices all will go well with you."
Minerva then left him and went to Marathon and Athens, 78
where she visited the house of Erechtheus, but Ulysses
went on to the house of Alcinous, and he pondered much
as he paused awhile before he reached the threshold of
bronze, for the splendour of the palace was like that of
the sun and moon. The walls on either side were of bronze
from end to end, and the cornice was of blue enamel. The
doors were of gold and hung on pillars of silver that
rose from a floor of bronze, while the lintel was of
silver and the hook of the door was of gold.
On either side there were gold and silver mastiffs which 91
Vulcan with his consummate skill had fashioned expressly
to keep watch over the palace of King Alcinous, so they
were immortal and could never grow old. Seats were ranged
here and there all along the wall, from one end to the
other, with coverings of fine woven work, which the women
of the house had made. Here the chief persons of the
Phæacians used to sit and eat and drink, for there was
abundance at all seasons; and there were golden figures
of young men with lighted torches in their hands, raised
on pedestals to give light to them that sat at meat.
There are fifty women servants in the house, some of 103
whom are always grinding rich yellow grain at the mill,
while others work at the loom and sit and spin, and their
shuttles go backwards and forwards like the fluttering of
aspen leaves, while the linen is so closely woven that it
will turn oil. As the Phæacians are the best sailors in
the world, so their women excel all others in weaving,
for Minerva has taught them all manner of useful arts,
and they are very intelligent.
Outside the gate of the outer court there is a large
garden[14] of about four acres, with a wall all round
it. It is full of beautiful trees--pears, pomegranates,
and the most delicious apples. There are luscious figs
also, and olives in full growth. The fruits never rot
nor fail all the year round, neither winter nor summer,
for the air is so soft that a new crop ripens before the
old has dropped. Pear grows on pear, apple on apple, and
fig on fig, and so also with the grapes, for there is
an excellent vineyard; on the level ground of a part of
this, the grapes are being made into raisins; on another
part they are being gathered; some are being trodden
in the wine-tubs; others, further on, have shed their
blossom and are beginning to show fruit; others, again,
are just changing colour. In the furthest part of the
ground there are beautifully arranged beds of flowers
that are in bloom all the year round. Two streams go
through it, the one turned in ducts throughout the whole
garden, while the other is carried under the ground of
the outer court to the house itself, and the townspeople
drew water from it. Such, then, were the splendours with
which heaven had endowed the house of King Alcinous.
So here Ulysses stood for a while and looked about 133
him, but when he had looked long enough he crossed the
threshold and went within the precincts of the house.
He passed through the crowd of guests who were nightly
visitors at the table of King Alcinous, and who were
then making their usual drink offering to Mercury before 137
going for the night. He was still shrouded in the mist
of invisibility with which Minerva had invested him,
and going up to Arete he embraced her knees, whereon he
suddenly became visible. Every one was greatly surprised
at seeing a man there, but Ulysses paid no attention to
this, and at once implored the queen's assistance; he
then sat down among the ashes on the hearth.
Alcinous did not know what to do or say, nor yet did any 154
one else till one of the guests Echeneüs told him it was
not creditable to him that a suppliant should be left
thus grovelling among the ashes. Alcinous ought to give
him a seat and set food before him. This was accordingly
done, and after Ulysses had finished eating Alcinous made
a speech, in which he proposed that they should have a
great banquet next day in their guest's honour, and then
provide him an escort to take him to his own home. This
was agreed to, and after a while the other guests went
home to bed.
When they were gone Ulysses was left alone with Alcinous 230
and Arete sitting over the fire, while the servants were
taking the things away after supper. Then Arete said,
"Stranger, before we go any further there is a question I
should like to put to you. Who are you? and who gave you
those clothes?" for she recognised the shirt and cloak
Ulysses was wearing as her own work, and that of her
maids.
Ulysses did not give his name, but told her how he had 240
come from Calypso's island, and been wrecked on the
Phæacian coast. "Next day," he said, "I fell in with your
daughter, who treated me with much greater kindness than
one could have expected from so young a person--for young
people are apt to be thoughtless. It was she who gave me
the clothes."
Alcinous then said he wished the stranger would stay with 308
them for good and all and marry Nausicaa. They would
not, however, press this, and if he insisted on going
they would send him, no matter where. "Even though it be
further than Eubœa, which they say is further off than
any other place, we will send you, and you shall be taken
so easily that you may sleep the whole way if you like." 318
To this Ulysses only replied by praying that the king 329
might be as good as his word. A bed was then made for him
in the gate-house and they all retired for the night.