Speed ever best, come whencesoe'er they may. First thou shalt find the Queen, known by her name Areta; lineal in descent from those Who gave Alcinoüs birth, her royal spouse. Neptune begat Nausithoüs, at the first, On Peribæa, loveliest of her sex, Latest-born daughter of Eurymedon, Heroic King of the proud giant race, Who, losing all his impious people, shared The same dread fate himself. Her Neptune lov'd, 70 To whom she bore a son, the mighty prince Nausithoüs, in his day King of the land. Nausithoüs himself two sons begat, Rhexenor and Alcinoüs. Phoebus slew Rhexenor at his home, a bridegroom yet, Who, father of no son, one daughter left, Areta, wedded to Alcinoüs now, And whom the Sov'reign in such honour holds, As woman none enjoys of all on earth Existing, subjects of an husband's pow'r. 80 Like veneration she from all receives Unfeign'd, from her own children, from himself Alcinoüs, and from all Phæacia's race, Who, gazing on her as she were divine, Shout when she moves in progress through the town. For she no wisdom wants, but sits, herself, Arbitress of such contests as arise Between her fav'rites, and decides aright. Her count'nance once and her kind aid secured, Thou may'st thenceforth expect thy friends to see, 90 Thy dwelling, and thy native soil again. So Pallas spake, Goddess cærulean-eyed, And o'er the untillable and barren Deep Departing, Scheria left, land of delight, Whence reaching Marathon, and Athens next, She pass'd into Erectheus' fair abode. Ulysses, then, toward the palace moved Of King Alcinoüs, but immers'd in thought Stood, first, and paused, ere with his foot he press'd The brazen threshold; for a light he saw 100 As of the sun or moon illuming clear The palace of Phæacia's mighty King. Walls plated bright with brass, on either side Stretch'd from the portal to th' interior house, With azure cornice crown'd; the doors were gold Which shut the palace fast; silver the posts Rear'd on a brazen threshold, and above, The lintels, silver, architraved with gold. Mastiffs, in gold and silver, lined the approach On either side, by art celestial framed 110 Of Vulcan, guardians of Alcinoüs' gate For ever, unobnoxious to decay. Sheer from the threshold to the inner house Fixt thrones the walls, through all their length, adorn'd, With mantles overspread of subtlest warp Transparent, work of many a female hand. On these the princes of Phæacia sat, Holding perpetual feasts, while golden youths On all the sumptuous altars stood, their hands With burning torches charged, which, night by night, 120 Shed radiance over all the festive throng.