Book VII

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Odysseus being received at the house of the king Alcinous,

the queen after supper, taking notice of his garments,

gives him occasion to relate his passage thither on the

raft. Alcinous promises him a convoy for the morrow.

So he prayed there, the steadfast goodly Odysseus, while

the two strong mules bare the princess to the town. And

when she had now come to the famous palace of her father,

she halted at the gateway, and round her gathered her

brothers, men like to the immortals, and they loosed the

mules from under the car, and carried the raiment within.

But the maiden betook her to her chamber; and an aged dame

from Aperaea kindled the fire for her, Eurymedusa, the

handmaid of the chamber, whom the curved ships upon a time

had brought from Aperaea; and men chose her as a prize for

Alcinous, seeing that he bare rule over all the Phaeacians,

and the people hearkened to him as to a god. She waited on

the white-armed Nausicaa in the palace halls; she was wont

to kindle the fire and prepare the supper in the inner

chamber.

At that same hour Odysseus roused him to go to the city,

and Athene shed a deep mist about Odysseus for the favour

that she bare him, lest any of the Phaeacians, high of

heart, should meet him and mock him in sharp speech, and

ask him who he was. But when he was now about to enter the

pleasant city, then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, met him,

in the fashion of a young maiden carrying a pitcher, and

she stood over against him, and goodly Odysseus inquired of

her:

'My child, couldst thou not lead me to the palace of the

lord Alcinous, who bears sway among this people? Lo, I am

come here, a stranger travel-worn from afar, from a distant

land; wherefore of the folk who possess this city and

country I know not any man.'

Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him saying:

'Yea now, father and stranger, I will show thee the house

that thou bidst me declare, for it lies near the palace of

my noble father; behold, be silent as thou goest, and I

will lead the way. And look on no man, nor question any.

For these men do not gladly suffer strangers, nor lovingly

entreat whoso cometh from a strange land. They trust to the

speed of their swift ships, wherewith they cross the great

gulf, for the Earth-shaker hath vouchsafed them this power.

Their ships are swift as the flight of a bird, or as a

thought.'

Therewith Pallas Athene led the way swiftly, and he

followed hard in the footsteps of the goddess. And it came

to pass that the Phaeacians, mariners renowned, marked him

not as he went down the city through their midst, for the

fair tressed Athene suffered it not, that awful goddess,

who shed a wondrous mist about him, for the favour that she

bare him in her heart. And Odysseus marvelled at the havens

and the gallant ships, yea and the places of assembly of

the heroes, and the long high walls crowned with palisades,

a marvel to behold. But when they had now come to the

famous palace of the king, the goddess, grey-eyed Athene,

spake first and said:

'Lo, here, father and stranger, is the house that thou

wouldst have me show thee: and thou shalt find kings at the

feast, the fosterlings of Zeus; enter then, and fear not in

thine heart, for the dauntless man is the best in every

adventure, even though he come from a strange land. Thou

shalt find the queen first in the halls; Arete is the name

whereby men call her, and she came even of those that begat

the king Alcinous. First Nausithous was son of Poseidon,

the Earth-shaker, and of Periboea, the comeliest of women,

youngest daughter of great-hearted Eurymedon, who once was

king among the haughty Giants. Howbeit, he destroyed his

infatuate people, and was himself destroyed; but Poseidon

lay with Periboea and begat a son, proud Nausithous, who

sometime was prince among the Phaeacians; and Nausithous

begat Rhexenor and Alcinous. While Rhexenor had as yet no

son, Apollo of the silver bow smote him, a groom new wed,

leaving in his halls one only child Arete; and Alcinous

took her to wife, and honoured her as no other woman in the

world is honoured, of all that now-a-days keep house under

the hand of their lords. Thus she hath, and hath ever had,

all worship heartily from her dear children and from her

lord Alcinous and from all the folk, who look on her as on

a goddess, and greet her with reverend speech, when she

goes about the town. Yea, for she too hath no lack of

understanding. To whomso she shows favour, even if they be

men, she ends their feuds. {*} If but her heart be kindly

disposed to thee, then is there good hope that thou mayest

see thy friends, and come to thy high-roofed home and thine

own country.'

{* And for the women she favours, she ends the feuds of

their lords also.}

Therewith grey-eyed Athene departed over the unharvested

seas, and left pleasant Scheria, and came to Marathon and

wide-wayed Athens, and entered the good house of

Erechtheus. Meanwhile Odysseus went to the famous palace of

Alcinous, and his heart was full of many thoughts as he

stood there or ever he had reached the threshold of bronze.

For there was a gleam as it were of sun or moon through the

high-roofed hall of great-hearted Alcinous. Brazen were the

walls which ran this way and that from the threshold to the

inmost chamber, and round them was a frieze of blue, and

golden were the doors that closed in the good house. Silver

were the door-posts that were set on the brazen threshold,

and silver the lintel thereupon, and the hook of the door

was of gold. And on either side stood golden hounds and

silver, which Hephaestus wrought by his cunning, to guard

the palace of great-hearted Alcinous, being free from death

and age all their days. And within were seats arrayed

against the wall this way and that, from the threshold even

to the inmost chamber, and thereon were spread light

coverings finely woven, the handiwork of women. There the

Phaeacian chieftains were wont to sit eating and drinking,

for they had continual store. Yea, and there were youths

fashioned in gold, standing on firm-set bases, with flaming

torches in their hands, giving light through the night to

the feasters in the palace. And he had fifty handmaids in

the house, and some grind the yellow grain on the

millstone, and others weave webs and turn the yarn as they

sit, restless as the leaves of the tall poplar tree: and

the soft olive oil drops off that linen, so closely is it

woven. For as the Phaeacian men are skilled beyond all

others in driving a swift ship upon the deep, even so are

the women the most cunning at the loom, for Athene hath

given them notable wisdom in all fair handiwork and cunning

wit. And without the courtyard hard by the door is a great

garden, off our ploughgates, and a hedge runs round on

either side. And there grow tall trees blossoming,

pear-trees and pomegranates, and apple-trees with bright

fruit, and sweet figs, and olives in their bloom. The fruit

of these trees never perisheth neither faileth, winter nor

summer, enduring through all the year. Evermore the West

Wind blowing brings some fruits to birth and ripens others.

Pear upon pear waxes old, and apple on apple, yea and

cluster ripens upon cluster of the grape, and fig upon fig.

There too hath he a fruitful vineyard planted, whereof the

one part is being dried by the heat, a sunny plot on level

ground, while other grapes men are gathering, and yet

others they are treading in the wine-press. In the foremost

row are unripe grapes that cast the blossom, and others

there be that are growing black to vintaging. There too,

skirting the furthest line, are all manner of garden beds,

planted trimly, that are perpetually fresh, and therein are

two fountains of water, whereof one scatters his streams

all about the garden, and the other runs over against it

beneath the threshold of the courtyard, and issues by the

lofty house, and thence did the townsfolk draw water. These

were the splendid gifts of the gods in the palace of

Alcinous.

There the steadfast goodly Odysseus stood and gazed. But

when he had gazed at all and wondered, he passed quickly

over the threshold within the house. And he found the

captains and the counsellors of the Phaeacians pouring

forth wine to the keen-sighted god, the slayer of Argos;

for to him they poured the last cup when they were minded

to take rest. Now the steadfast goodly Odysseus went

through the hall, clad in a thick mist, which Athene shed

around him, till he came to Arete and the king Alcinous.

And Odysseus cast his hands about the knees of Arete, and

then it was that the wondrous mist melted from off him, and

a silence fell on them that were within the house at the

sight of him, and they marvelled as they beheld him. Then

Odysseus began his prayer:

'Arete, daughter of god-like Rhexenor, after many toils am

I come to thy husband and to thy knees and to these guests,

and may the gods vouchsafe them a happy life, and may each

one leave to his children after him his substance in his

halls and whatever dues of honour the people have rendered

unto him. But speed, I pray you, my parting, that I may

come the more quickly to mine own country, for already too

long do I suffer affliction far from my friends.'

Therewith he sat him down by the hearth in the ashes at the

fire, and behold, a dead silence fell on all. And at the

last the ancient lord Echeneus spake among them, an elder

of the Phaeacians, excellent in speech and skilled in much

wisdom of old time. With good will he made harangue and

spake among them:

'Alcinous, this truly is not the more seemly way, nor is it

fitting that the stranger should sit upon the ground in the

ashes by the hearth, while these men refrain them, waiting

thy word. Nay come, bid the stranger arise, and set him on

a chair inlaid with silver, and command the henchmen to mix

the wine, that we may pour forth likewise before Zeus,

whose joy is in the thunder, who attendeth upon reverend

suppliants. And let the housewife give supper to the

stranger out of such stores as be within.'

Now when the mighty king Alcinous heard this saying, he

took Odysseus, the wise and crafty, by the hand, and raised

him from the hearth, and set him on a shining chair, whence

he bade his son give place, valiant Laodamas, who sat next

him and was his dearest. And a handmaid bare water for the

hands in a goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth over a

silver basin to wash withal, and drew to his side a

polished table. And a grave dame bare wheaten bread and set

it by him and laid upon the board many dainties, giving

freely of such things as she had by her. So the steadfast

goodly Odysseus did eat and drink: and then the mighty

Alcinous spake unto the henchman:

'Pontonous, mix the bowl and serve out the wine to all in

the hall, that we may pour forth likewise before Zeus,

whose joy is in the thunder, who attendeth upon reverend

suppliants.'

So spake he, and Pontonous mixed the honey-hearted wine,

and served it out to all, when he had poured for libation

into each cup in turn. But when they had poured forth and

had drunken to their heart's content, Alcinous made

harangue and spake among them:

'Hear me, ye captains and counsellors of the Phaeacians,

that I may speak as my spirit bids me. Now that the feast

is over, go ye home and lie down to rest; and in the

morning we will call yet more elders together, and

entertain the stranger in the halls and do fair sacrifice

to the gods, and thereafter we will likewise bethink us of

the convoy, that so without pain or grief yonder stranger

may by our convoy reach his own country speedily and with

joy, even though he be from very far away. So shall he

suffer no hurt or harm in mid passage, ere he set foot on

his own land; but thereafter he shall endure such things as

Fate and the stern spinning women drew off the spindles for

him at his birth when his mother bare him. But if he is

some deathless god come down from heaven, then do the gods

herein imagine some new device against us. For always

heretofore the gods appear manifest amongst us, whensoever

we offer glorious hecatombs, and they feast by our side,

sitting at the same board; yea, and even if a wayfarer

going all alone has met with them, they use no disguise,

since we are near of kin to them, even as are the Cyclopes

and the wild tribes of the Giants.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying:

'Alcinous, that thought be far from thee! for I bear no

likeness either in form or fashion to the deathless gods,

who keep wide heaven, but to men that die. Whomsoever ye

know of human kind the heaviest laden with sorrow, to them

might I liken myself in my griefs. Yea, and I might tell of

yet other woes, even the long tale of toil that by the

gods' will I endured. But as for me, suffer me to sup,

afflicted as I am; for nought is there more shameless than

a ravening belly, which biddeth a man perforce be mindful

of him, though one be worn and sorrowful in spirit, even as

I have sorrow of heart; yet evermore he biddeth me eat and

drink and maketh me utterly to forget all my sufferings,

and commandeth me to take my fill. But do ye bestir you at

the breaking of the day, that so ye may set me, hapless as

I am, upon my country's soil, albeit after much suffering.

Ah, and may life leave me when I have had sight of mine own

possessions, my thralls, and my dwelling that is great and

high!'

So spake he, and they all assented thereto, and bade send

the stranger on his way, for that he had spoken aright. Now

when they had poured forth and had drunken to their hearts'

content, they went each one to his house to lay them to

rest. But goodly Odysseus was left behind in the hall, and

by him sat Arete and godlike Alcinous; and the maids

cleared away the furniture of the feast; and white-armed

Arete first spake among them. For she knew the mantle and

the doublet, when she saw the goodly raiment that she

herself had wrought with the women her handmaids. So she

uttered her voice and spake to him winged words:

'Sir, I am bold to ask thee first of this. Who art thou of

the sons of men, and whence? Who gave thee this raiment?

Didst thou not say indeed that thou camest hither wandering

over the deep?'

Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her, and said:

''Tis hard, O queen, to tell my griefs from end to end, for

that the gods of heaven have given me griefs in plenty. But

this will I declare to thee, whereof thou dost question and

inquire. There is an isle, Ogygia, that lies far off in the

sea; there dwells the daughter of Atlas, crafty Calypso, of

the braided tresses, an awful goddess, nor is any either of

gods or mortals conversant with her. Howbeit, some god

brought me to her hearth, wretched man that I am, all

alone, for that Zeus with white bolt crushed my swift ship

and cleft it in the midst of the wine-dark deep. There all

the rest of my good company was lost, but I clung with fast

embrace about the keel of the curved ship, and so was I

borne for nine whole days. And on the tenth dark night the

gods brought me nigh the isle Ogygia, where Calypso of the

braided tresses dwells, an awful goddess. She took me in,

and with all care she cherished me and gave me sustenance,

and said that she would make me to know not death nor age

for all my days; but never did she win my heart within me.

There I abode for seven years continually, and watered with

my tears the imperishable raiment that Calypso gave me. But

when the eighth year came round in his course, then at last

she urged and bade me to be gone, by reason of a message

from Zeus, or it may be that her own mind was turned. So

she sent me forth on a well-bound raft, and gave me

plenteous store, bread and sweet wine, and she clad me in

imperishable raiment, and sent forth a warm and gentle wind

to blow. For ten days and seven I sailed, traversing the

deep, and on the eighteenth day the shadowy hills of your

land showed in sight, and my heart was glad,--wretched that

I was--for surely I was still to be the mate of much

sorrow. For Poseidon, shaker of the earth, stirred up the

same, who roused against me the winds and stopped my way,

and made a wondrous sea to swell, nor did the wave suffer

me to be borne upon my raft, as I made ceaseless moan. Thus

the storm winds shattered the raft, but as for me I cleft

my way through the gulf yonder, till the wind bare and the

water brought me nigh your coast. Then as I strove to land

upon the shore, the wave had overwhelmed me, dashing me

against the great rocks and a desolate place, but at length

I gave way and swam back, till I came to the river, where

the place seemed best in mine eyes, smooth of rocks, and

withal there was a shelter from the wind. And as I came out

I sank down, gathering to me my spirit, and immortal night

came on. Then I gat me forth and away from the heaven-fed

river, and laid me to sleep in the bushes and strewed

leaves about me, and the god shed over me infinite sleep.

There among the leaves I slept, stricken at heart, all the

night long, even till the morning and mid-day. And the sun

sank when sweet sleep let me free. And I was aware of the

company of thy daughter disporting them upon the sand, and

there was she in the midst of them like unto the goddesses.

To her I made my supplication, and she showed no lack of a

good understanding, behaving so as thou couldst not hope

for in chancing upon one so young; for the younger folk

lack wisdom always. She gave me bread enough and red wine,

and let wash me in the river and bestowed on me these

garments. Herein, albeit in sore distress, have I told thee

all the truth.'

And Alcinous answered again, and spake saying: 'Sir, surely

this was no right thought of my daughter, in that she

brought thee not to our house with the women her handmaids,

though thou didst first entreat her grace.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered, and said unto him:

'My lord, chide not, I pray thee, for this the blameless

maiden. For indeed she bade me follow with her company, but

I would not for fear and very shame, lest perchance thine

heart might be clouded at the sight; for a jealous race

upon the earth are we, the tribes of men.'

And Alcinous answered yet again, and spake saying: 'Sir, my

heart within me is not of such temper as to have been wroth

without a cause: due measure in all things is best. Would

to father Zeus, and Athene, and Apollo, would that so

goodly a man as thou art, and like-minded with me, thou

wouldst wed my daughter, and be called my son, here

abiding: so would I give thee house and wealth, if thou

wouldst stay of thine own will: but against thy will shall

none of the Phaeacians keep thee: never be this

well-pleasing in the eyes of father Zeus! And now I ordain

an escort for thee on a certain day, that thou mayst surely

know, and that day the morrow. Then shalt thou lay thee

down overcome by sleep, and they the while shall smite the

calm waters, till thou come to thy country and thy house,

and whatsoever place is dear to thee, even though it be

much farther than Euboea, which certain of our men say is

the farthest of lands, they who saw it, when they carried

Rhadamanthus, of the fair hair, to visit Tityos, son of

Gaia. Even thither they went, and accomplished the journey

on the self-same day and won home again, and were not

weary. And now shalt thou know for thyself how far my ships

are the best, and how my young men excel at tossing the

salt water with the oar-blade.'

So spake he, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus rejoiced;

and then he uttered a word in prayer, and called aloud to

Zeus: 'Father Zeus, oh that Alcinous may fulfil all that he

hath said, so may his fame never be quenched upon the

earth, the grain-giver, and I should come to mine own

land!'

Thus they spake one to the other. And white-armed Arete

bade her handmaids set out bedsteads beneath the gallery,

and cast fair purple blankets over them, and spread

coverlets above, and thereon lay thick mantles to be a

clothing over all. So they went from the hall with torch in

hand. But when they had busied them and spread the good

bedstead, they stood by Odysseus and called unto him,

saying:

'Up now, stranger, and get thee to sleep, thy bed is made'

So spake they, and it seemed to him that rest was wondrous

good. So he slept there, the steadfast goodly Odysseus, on

the jointed bedstead, beneath the echoing gallery. But

Alcinous laid him down in the innermost chamber of the high

house, and by him the lady his wife arrayed bedstead and

bedding.

Read next: Book VIII

Read previous: Book VI

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