Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Homer -- Translations into English; Odysseus, King of Ithaca (Mythological character)
Now Nausicaa of the white arms had another thought. She folded the
raiment and stored it in the goodly wain, and yoked the mules strong of
hoof, and herself climbed into the car. Then she called on Odysseus,
and spake and hailed him: “Up now, stranger, and rouse thee to go to
the city, that I may convey thee to the house of my wise father, where,
I promise thee, thou shalt get knowledge of all the noblest of the
Phaeacians. But do thou even as I tell thee, and thou seemest a
discreet man enough. So long as we are passing along the fields and
farms of men, do thou fare quickly with the maidens behind the mules
and the chariot, and I will lead the way. But when we set foot within
the city,—whereby goes a high wall with towers, and there is a fair
haven on either side of the town, and narrow is the entrance, and
curved ships are drawn up on either hand of the mole, for all the folk
have stations for their vessels, each man one for himself. And there is
the place of assembly about the goodly temple of Poseidon, furnished
with heavy stones, deep bedded in the earth. There men look to the gear
of the black ships, hawsers and sails, and there they fine down the
oars. For the Phaeacians care not for bow nor quiver, but for masts,
and oars of ships, and gallant barques, wherein rejoicing they cross
the grey sea. Their ungracious speech it is that I would avoid, lest
some man afterward rebuke me, and there are but too many insolent folk
among the people. And some one of the baser sort might meet me and say:
‘Who is this that goes with Nausicaa, this tall and goodly stranger?
Where found she him? Her husband he will be, her very own. Either she
has taken in some shipwrecked wanderer of strange men,—for no men dwell
near us; or some god has come in answer to her instant prayer; from
heaven has he descended, and will have her to wife for evermore. Better
so, if herself she has ranged abroad and found a lord from a strange
land, for verily she holds in no regard the Phaeacians here in this
country, the many men and noble who are her wooers.’ So will they
speak, and this would turn to my reproach. Yea, and I myself would
think it blame of another maiden who did such things in despite of her
friends, her father and mother being still alive, and was conversant
with men before the day of open wedlock. But, stranger, heed well what
I say, that as soon as may be thou mayest gain at my father’s hands an
escort and a safe return. Thou shalt find a fair grove of Athene, a
poplar grove near the road, and a spring wells forth therein, and a
meadow lies all around. There is my father’s demesne, and his fruitful
close, within the sound of a man’s shout from the city. Sit thee down
there and wait until such time as we may have come into the city, and
reached the house of my father. But when thou deemest that we are got
to the palace, then go up to the city of the Phaeacians, and ask for
the house of my father Alcinous, high of heart. It is easily known, and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account