Thus pray’d the wise and God-observing man. The Maid, by free force of her palfreys, wan Access to town, and the renownéd court Reach’d of her father; where, within the port, She stay’d her coach, and round about her came Her brothers, made as of immortal frame, Who yet disdain’d not, for her love, mean deeds, But took from coach her mules, brought in her weeds.[1] And she ascends her chamber; where purvey’d A quick fire was by her old chamber-maid, Eurymedusa, th’ Aperæan born, And brought by sea from Apera t’ adorn The court of great Alcinous, because He gave to all the blest Phæacians laws, And, like a heav’n-born pow’r in speech, acquir’d The people’s ears. To one then so admir’d, Eurymedusa was esteem’d no worse Than worth the gift; yet now, grown old, was nurse To ivory-arm’d Nausicaa, gave heat To all her fires, and dress’d her privy meat. Then rose Ulysses, and made way to town; Which ere he reach’d, a mighty mist was thrown By Pallas round about him, in her care, Lest, in the sway of envies popular, Some proud Phæacian might foul language pass, Justle him up, and ask him what he was. Ent’ring the lovely town yet, through the cloud Pallas appear’d, and like a young wench show’d Bearing a pitcher, stood before him so As if objected purposely to know What there he needed; whom he question’d thus: “Know you not, daughter, where Alcinous, That rules this town, dwells? I, a poor distrest Mere stranger here, know none I may request To make this court known to me.” She replied: “Strange father, I will see you satisfied In that request. My father dwells just by The house you seek for; but go silently, Nor ask, nor speak to any other, I Shall be enough to show your way. The men That here inhabit do not entertain With ready kindness strangers, of what worth Or state soever, nor have taken forth Lessons of civil usage or respect To men beyond them. They, upon their pow’rs Of swift ships building, top the wat’ry tow’rs, And Jove hath giv’n them ships, for sail so wrought, They cut a feather, and command a thought.”[2] This said, she usher’d him, and after he Trod in the swift steps of the Deity. The free-sail’d seamen could not get a sight Of our Ulysses yet, though he forthright Both by their houses and their persons past, Pallas about him such a darkness cast By her divine pow’r, and her rev’rend care, She would not give the town-born cause to stare. He wonder’d, as he past, to see the ports; The shipping in them; and for all resorts The goodly market-steads; and aisles beside For the heroës; walls so large and wide; Rampires so high, and of such strength withall, It would with wonder any eye appall. At last they reach’d the court, and Pallas said: “Now, honour’d stranger, I will see obey’d Your will, to show our ruler’s house; ’tis here; Where you shall find kings celebrating cheer. Enter amongst them, nor admit a fear. _More bold a man is, he prevails the more, Though man nor place lie ever saw before._