Half a Hundred Hero Tales of Ulysses and The Men of Old
General
Half a Hundred Hero Tales of Ulysses and The Men of Old
Mythology, Classical -- Juvenile literature
Ulysses answered with the tale of his shipwreck and the gentle
ministrations of her fair daughter, but his name he did not reveal.
But Alcinous answered: "My daughter was much to blame in that she
brought thee not to our house. Gladly would I give her to a man so
goodly as thou, and I would bestow on thee lands and wealth if thou
would'st stay. But no man will I detain against his will; and if thou
would'st depart I will furnish thee with ships and an escort to speed
thee on the way."
Next day there was feasting in the hall to entertain the guest, and
Demodocus the famous minstrel was there, and he sang the Song of Troy,
of Agamemnon and Hector, aye, and of the feud 'twixt Achilles and
Ulysses. And Ulysses, as he listened, drew his cloak over his head to
hide his tears.
After the feast there were games--racing, wrestling, and throwing the
discus; and when the stranger was invited to make trial of his
strength he hurled a huge rock that flew twice as far as the farthest
quoit; and to this day the islanders point out to travelers Ulysses'
stone.
Again at evening there was feasting in the hall. And Ulysses, as he
came from the bath, anointed with oil and clad in the royal mantle
that Alcinous had given him, on his way to join the feast, met the
white-armed Nausicaa standing in the doorway. "Farewell, stranger,"
she whispered; "depart in peace; and in thy far home think sometimes
on the little maid who saved thee from the sea."
And Ulysses answered: "Nausicaa, to thee I owe my life, and if God
grants me to reach my home, all my days I will do worship to thee, as
to a god."
Then he hastened to join the feasters, and set him in the seat
assigned to him at Alcinous' right hand. Noticing Demodocus, the sweet
minstrel, standing by a pillar alone, he called a henchman and said,
"Take from me this mess of wild boar, and when he has eaten thereof
and drunk, bid him sing me, as he will, the lay of the Wooden Horse."
And the inspired minstrel brought back to him so vividly that tale of
fire and carnage that Ulysses was moved to tears; and Alcinous asked
him whether he had lost some kinsman in the fray, or some friend
dearer than a brother. Then Ulysses disclosed his name, and gave the
King the full and true story of all his wanderings from the fall of
Troy to the shipwreck that landed him on this friendly shore.
When the long tale was ended Alcinous spake to his lordly company.
"Let us speed our parting guest, the bravest and the noblest that has
ever visited our land. With raiment and gold have I myself furnished
him, but each of you give him a tripod or a caldron for a keepsake."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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