The waves the pebbles wash'd, and ground was clear, They bathed themselves, and all with glittering oil Smooth'd their white skins; refreshing then their toil With pleasant dinner, by the river's side. Yet still watch'd when the sun their clothes had dried. Till which time, having dined, Nausicaa With other virgins did at stool-ball play, Their shoulder-reaching head-tires laying by. Nausicaa, with the wrists of ivory, The liking stroke strook, singing first a song, As custom order'd, and amidst the throng Made such a shew, and so past all was seen, As when the chaste-born, arrow-loving Queen, Along the mountains gliding, either over Spartan Taygetus, whose tops far discover, Or Eurymanthus, in the wild boar's chace, Or swift-hooved hart, and with her Jove's fair race, The field Nymphs, sporting; amongst whom, to see How far Diana had priority (Though all were fair) for fairness; yet of all, (As both by head and forehead being more tall) Latona triumph'd, since the dullest sight Might easily judge whom her pains brought to light; Nausicaa so, whom never husband tamed, Above them all in all the beauties flamed. But when they now made homewards, and array'd, Ordering their weeds; disorder'd as they play'd, Mules and coach ready, then Minerva thought What means to wake Ulysses might be wrought, That he might see this lovely-sighted maid, Whom she intended should become his aid, Bring him to town, and his return advance. Her mean was this, though thought a stool-ball chance: The queen now, for the upstroke, strook the ball Quite wide off th' other maids, and made it fall Amidst the whirlpools. At which outshriek'd all, And with the shriek did wise Ulysses wake; Who, sitting up, was doubtful who should make That sudden outcry, and in mind thus strived:-- "On what a people am I now arrived? At civil hospitable men, that fear The gods? or dwell injurious mortals here, Unjust and churlish? Like the female cry Of youth it sounds. What are they? Nymphs bred high On tops of hills, or in the founts of floods, In herby marshes, or in leavy woods? Or are they high-spoke men I now am near? I'll prove and see." With this the wary peer Crept forth the thicket, and an olive bough Broke with his broad hand; which he did bestow In covert of his nakedness, and then Put hasty head out. Look how from his den A mountain lion looks, that, all embrued With drops of trees, and weatherbeaten-hued, Bold of his strength goes on, and in his eye A burning furnace glows, all bent to prey On sheep, or oxen, or the upland hart, His belly charging him, and he must part Stakes with the herdsman in his beasts' attempt, Even where from rape their strengths are most exempt: So wet, so weather-beat, so stung with need, Even to the home-fields of the country's breed Ulysses was to force forth his access, Though merely naked; and his sight did press