Now from the sacred thicket where he lay, To town Ulysses took the winding way. Propitious Pallas, to secure her care, Around him spread a veil of thicken’d air; To shun the encounter of the vulgar crowd, Insulting still, inquisitive and loud. When near the famed Phæacian walls he drew, The beauteous city opening to his view, His step a virgin met, and stood before: A polish’d urn the seeming virgin bore, And youthful smiled; but in the low disguise Lay hid the goddess with the azure eyes. “Show me, fair daughter (thus the chief demands), The house of him who rules these happy lands Through many woes and wanderings, do I come To good Alcinous’ hospitable dome. Far from my native coast, I rove alone, A wretched stranger, and of all unknown!” The goddess answer’d: “Father, I obey, And point the wandering traveller his way: Well known to me the palace you inquire, For fast beside it dwells my honour’d sire: But silent march, nor greet the common train With question needless, or inquiry vain; A race of ragged mariners are these, Unpolish’d men, and boisterous as their seas The native islanders alone their care, And hateful he who breathes a foreign air. These did the ruler of the deep ordain To build proud navies, and command the main; On canvas wings to cut the watery way; No bird so light, no thought so swift as they.” Thus having spoke, the unknown celestial leads: The footsteps of the deity he treads, And secret moves along the crowded space, Unseen of all the rude Phæacian race. (So Pallas order’d, Pallas to their eyes The mist objected, and condensed the skies.) The chief with wonder sees the extended streets, The spreading harbours, and the riding fleets; He next their princes’ lofty domes admires, In separate islands, crown’d with rising spires; And deep entrenchments, and high walls of stone. That gird the city like a marble zone. At length the kingly palace-gates he view’d; There stopp’d the goddess, and her speech renew’d;