《奥德修记》-13

like those of the nymphs that haunt mountain tops, or springs ofrivers and meadows of green grass. At any rate I am among a race ofmen and women. Let me try if I cannot manage to get a look at them."As he said this he crept from under his bush, and broke off abough covered with thick leaves to hide his nakedness. He lookedlike some lion of the wilderness that stalks about exulting in hisstrength and defying both wind and rain; his eyes glare as he prowlsin quest of oxen, sheep, or deer, for he is famished, and will darebreak even into a well-fenced homestead, trying to get at the sheep-even such did Ulysses seem to the young women, as he drew near to themall naked as he was, for he was in great want. On seeing one sounkempt and so begrimed with salt water, the others scampered offalong the spits that jutted out into the sea, but the daughter ofAlcinous stood firm, for Minerva put courage into her heart and tookaway all fear from her. She stood right in front of Ulysses, and hedoubted whether he should go up to her, throw himself at her feet, andembrace her knees as a suppliant, or stay where he was and entreat herto give him some clothes and show him the way to the town. In theend he deemed it best to entreat her from a distance in case thegirl should take offence at his coming near enough to clasp her knees,so he addressed her in honeyed and persuasive language."O queen," he said, "I implore your aid- but tell me, are you agoddess or are you a mortal woman? If you are a goddess and dwell inheaven, I can only conjecture that you are Jove's daughter Diana,for your face and figure resemble none but hers; if on the otherhand you are a mortal and live on earth, thrice happy are yourfather and mother- thrice happy, too, are your brothers and sisters;how proud and delighted they must feel when they see so fair a scionas yourself going out to a dance; most happy, however, of all willhe be whose wedding gifts have been the richest, and who takes youto his own home. I never yet saw any one so beautiful, neither man norwoman, and am lost in admiration as I behold you. I can only compareyou to a young palm tree which I saw when I was at Delos growingnear the altar of Apollo- for I was there, too, with much people afterme, when I was on that journey which has been the source of all mytroubles. Never yet did such a young plant shoot out of the groundas that was, and I admired and wondered at it exactly as I nowadmire and wonder at yourself. I dare not clasp your knees, but I amin great distress; yesterday made the twentieth day that I had beentossing about upon the sea. The winds and waves have taken me allthe way from the Ogygian island, and now fate has flung me upon thiscoast that I may endure still further suffering; for I do not thinkthat I have yet come to the end of it, but rather that heaven hasstill much evil in store for me."And now, O queen, have pity upon me, for you are the first person Ihave met, and I know no one else in this country. Show me the way toyour town, and let me have anything that you may have brought hitherto wrap your clothes in. May heaven grant you in all things yourheart's desire- husband, house, and a happy, peaceful home; forthere is nothing better in this world than that man and wife should beof one mind in a house. It discomfits their enemies, makes thehearts of their friends glad, and they themselves know more about itthan any one."To this Nausicaa answered, "Stranger, you appear to be a sensible,well-disposed person. There is no accounting for luck; Jove givesprosperity to rich and poor just as he chooses, so you must takewhat he has seen fit to send you, and make the best of it. Now,however, that you have come to this our country, you shall not wantfor clothes nor for anything else that a foreigner in distress mayreasonably look for. I will show you the way to the town, and willtell you the name of our people; we are called Phaeacians, and I amdaughter to Alcinous, in whom the whole power of the state is vested."Then she called her maids and said, "Stay where you are, yougirls. Can you not see a man without running away from him? Do youtake him for a robber or a murderer? Neither he nor any one else cancome here to do us Phaeacians any harm, for we are dear to the gods,and live apart on a land's end that juts into the sounding sea, andhave nothing to do with any other people. This is only some poor manwho has lost his way, and we must be kind to him, for strangers andforeigners in distress are under Jove's protection, and will take whatthey can get and be thankful; so, girls, give the poor fellowsomething to eat and drink, and wash him in the stream at some placethat is sheltered from the wind."On this the maids left off running away and began calling oneanother back. They made Ulysses sit down in the shelter as Nausicaahad told them, and brought him a shirt and cloak. They also broughthim the little golden cruse of oil, and told him to go wash in thestream. But Ulysses said, "Young women, please to stand a little onone side that I may wash the brine from my shoulders and anoint myselfwith oil, for it is long enough since my skin has had a drop of oilupon it. I cannot wash as long as you all keep standing there. I amashamed to strip before a number of good-looking young women."Then they stood on one side and went to tell the girl, while Ulysseswashed himself in the stream and scrubbed the brine from his backand from his broad shoulders. When he had thoroughly washed himself,and had got the brine out of his hair, he anointed himself with oil,and put on the clothes which the girl had given him; Minerva then madehim look taller and stronger than before, she also made the hairgrow thick on the top of his head, and flow down in curls likehyacinth blossoms; she glorified him about the head and shoulders as askilful workman who has studied art of all kinds under Vulcan andMinerva enriches a piece of silver plate by gilding it- and his workis full of beauty. Then he went and sat down a little way off upon thebeach, looking quite young and handsome, and the girl gazed on himwith admiration; then she said to her maids:"Hush, my dears, for I want to say something. I believe the gods wholive in heaven have sent this man to the Phaeacians. When I firstsaw him I thought him plain, but now his appearance is like that ofthe gods who dwell in heaven. I should like my future husband to bejust such another as he is, if he would only stay here and not want togo away. However, give him something to eat and drink."They did as they were told, and set food before Ulysses, who ate anddrank ravenously, for it was long since he had had food of any kind.Meanwhile, Nausicaa bethought her of another matter. She got the linenfolded and placed in the waggon, she then yoked the mules, and, as shetook her seat, she called Ulysses:"Stranger," said she, "rise and let us be going back to the town;I will introduce you at the house of my excellent father, where Ican tell you that you will meet all the best people among thePhaecians. But be sure and do as I bid you, for you seem to be asensible person. As long as we are going past the fields- and farmlands, follow briskly behind the waggon along with the maids and Iwill lead the way myself. Presently, however, we shall come to thetown, where you will find a high wall running all round it, and a goodharbour on either side with a narrow entrance into the city, and theships will be drawn up by the road side, for every one has a placewhere his own ship can lie. You will see the market place with atemple of Neptune in the middle of it, and paved with large stonesbedded in the earth. Here people deal in ship's gear of all kinds,such as cables and sails, and here, too, are the places where oars aremade, for the Phaeacians are not a nation of archers; they knownothing about bows and arrows, but are a sea-faring folk, and pridethemselves on their masts, oars, and ships, with which they travel farover the sea."I am afraid of the gossip and scandal that may be set on footagainst me later on; for the people here are very ill-natured, andsome low fellow, if he met us, might say, 'Who is this fine-lookingstranger that is going about with Nausicaa? Where did she End him? Isuppose she is going to marry him. Perhaps he is a vagabond sailorwhom she has taken from some foreign vessel, for we have noneighbours; or some god has at last come down from heaven in answer toher prayers, and she is going to live with him all the rest of herlife. It would be a good thing if she would take herself of I for shand find a husband somewhere else, for she will not look at one of themany excellent young Phaeacians who are in with her.' This is the kindof disparaging remark that would be made about me, and I could notcomplain, for I should myself be scandalized at seeing any othergirl do the like, and go about with men in spite of everybody, whileher father and mother were still alive, and without having beenmarried in the face of all the world."If, therefore, you want my father to give you an escort and to helpyou home, do as I bid you; you will see a beautiful grove of poplarsby the road side dedicated to Minerva; it has a well in it and ameadow all round it. Here my father has a field of rich garden ground,about as far from the town as a man' voice will carry. Sit downthere and wait for a while till the rest of us can get into the townand reach my father's house. Then, when you think we must have donethis, come into the town and ask the way to the house of my fatherAlcinous. You will have no difficulty in finding it; any child willpoint it out to you, for no one else in the whole town has anythinglike such a fine house as he has. When you have got past the gates andthrough the outer court, go right across the inner court till you cometo my mother. You will find her sitting by the fire and spinning herpurple wool by firelight. It is a fine sight to see her as she leansback against one of the bearing-posts with her maids all ranged behindher. Close to her seat stands that of my father, on which he sitsand topes like an immortal god. Never mind him, but go up to mymother, and lay your hands upon her knees if you would get homequickly. If you can gain her over, you may hope to see your owncountry again, no matter how distant it may be."So saying she lashed the mules with her whip and they left theriver. The mules drew well and their hoofs went up and down upon theroad. She was careful not to go too fast for Ulysses and the maids whowere following on foot along with the waggon, so she plied her whipwith judgement. As the sun was going down they came to the sacredgrove of Minerva, and there Ulysses sat down and prayed to themighty daughter of Jove."Hear me," he cried, "daughter of Aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable,hear me now, for you gave no heed to my prayers when Neptune waswrecking me. Now, therefore, have pity upon me and grant that I mayfind friends and be hospitably received by the Phaecians."Thus did he pray, and Minerva heard his prayer, but she would notshow herself to him openly, for she was afraid of her uncle Neptune,who was still furious in his endeavors to prevent Ulysses from gettinghome.BOOK VII.THUS, then, did Ulysses wait and pray; but the girl drove on tothe town. When she reached her father's house she drew up at thegateway, and her brothers- comely as the gods- gathered round her,took the mules out of the waggon, and carried the clothes into thehouse, while she went to her own room, where an old servant,Eurymedusa of Apeira, lit the fire for her. This old woman had beenbrought by sea from Apeira, and had been chosen as a prize forAlcinous because he was king over the Phaecians, and the people obeyedhim as though he were a god. She had been nurse to Nausicaa, and hadnow lit the fire for her, and brought her supper for her into herown room.