BANQUET IN THE HOUSE OF ALCINOUS—THE GAMES.
Now when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, Alcinous and Ulysses rose, and Alcinous the way to the Phaeacian place of assembly, which was near the ships. When they got there they sat by on a seat of stone, while Minerva took the of one of Alcinous’ servants, and the town in order to help Ulysses to home. She up to the citizens, man by man, and said, “Aldermen and town of the Phaeacians, come to the all of you and to the who has just come off a long to the house of King Alcinous; he looks like an god.”
With these she them all want to come, and they to the till seats and room were crowded. Every one was with the of Ulysses, for Minerva had him about the and shoulders, making him look and than he was, that he might the Phaeacians as being a very man, and might come off well in the many of skill to which they would challenge him. Then, when they were got together, Alcinous spoke:
“Hear me,” said he, “aldermen and town of the Phaeacians, that I may speak as I am minded. This stranger, he may be, has his way to my house from or other either East or West. He wants an and to have the settled. Let us then one for him, as we have done for others him; indeed, no one who yet came to my house has been able to complain of me for not on his way soon enough. Let us a ship into the sea—one that has yet a voyage—and man her with two and fifty of our sailors. Then when you have fast your each by his own seat, the ship and come to my house to prepare a feast.65 I will you in everything. I am these to the men who will the crew, for as you and town councillors, you will join me in our guest in the cloisters. I can take no excuses, and we will have Demodocus to sing to us; for there is no like him he may choose to sing about.”
Alcinous then the way, and the others after, while a to Demodocus. The fifty-two to the sea as they had been told, and when they got there they the ship into the water, got her and her, the to the thole-pins with of leather, all in course, and spread the white aloft. They the a little way out from land, and then came on and to the house of King Alcinous. The out houses,66 yards, and all the were with of men in great old and young; and Alcinous killed them a dozen sheep, eight full pigs, and two oxen. These they and so as to provide a banquet.
A presently in the famous Demodocus, the had loved, but to she had good and evil, for though she had him with a gift of song, she had him of his eyesight. Pontonous set a seat for him among the guests, it up against a bearing-post. He the for him on a over his head, and him where he was to for it with his hands. He also set a table with a of by his side, and a cup of from which he might drink he was so disposed.
The company then their hands upon the good that were them, but as soon as they had had to eat and drink, the Demodocus to sing the of heroes, and more a that was then in the mouths of all men, to wit, the Ulysses and Achilles, and the that they on one another as they sat together at a banquet. But Agamemnon was when he his with one another, for Apollo had him this at Pytho when he the to the oracle. Here was the of the that by the will of Jove upon Danaans and Trojans.
Thus sang the bard, but Ulysses his over his and his face, for he was to let the Phaeacians see that he was weeping. When the left off he the from his eyes, his face, and, taking his cup, a drink-offering to the gods; but when the Phaeacians pressed Demodocus to sing further, for they in his lays, then Ulysses again his over his and bitterly. No one noticed his Alcinous, who was near him, and the that he was heaving. So he at once said, “Aldermen and town of the Phaeacians, we have had now, of the feast, and of the that is its accompaniment; let us therefore to the sports, so that our guest on his return home may be able to tell his friends how much we all other nations as boxers, wrestlers, jumpers, and runners.”
With these he the way, and the others after. A Demodocus’s on its for him, him out of the cloister, and set him on the same way as that along which all the men of the Phaeacians were going to see the sports; a of thousands of people them, and there were many excellent for all the prizes. Acroneos, Ocyalus, Elatreus, Nauteus, Prymneus, Anchialus, Eretmeus, Ponteus, Proreus, Thoon, Anabesineus, and Amphialus son of Polyneus son of Tecton. There was also Euryalus son of Naubolus, who was like Mars himself, and was the best looking man among the Phaeacians Laodamas. Three sons of Alcinous, Laodamas, Halios, and Clytoneus, also.
The came first. The was set out for them from the starting post, and they a upon the plain as they all at the same moment. Clytoneus came in by a long way; he left every one else him by the length of the that a of can in a field.67 They then to the painful art of wrestling, and here Euryalus proved to be the best man. Amphialus all the others in jumping, while at the there was no one who approach Elatreus. Alcinous’s son Laodamas was the best boxer, and he it was who presently said, when they had all been with the games, “Let us ask the he in any of these sports; he very powerfully built; his thighs, calves, hands, and are of strength, is he at all old, but he has much lately, and there is nothing like the sea for making with a man, no how he is.”
“You are right, Laodamas,” Euryalus, “go up to your guest and speak to him about it yourself.”
When Laodamas this he his way into the middle of the and said to Ulysses, “I hope, Sir, that you will enter for some one or other of our if you are in any of them—and you must have gone in for many a one now. There is nothing that any one so much all his life long as the himself a proper man with his hands and feet. Have a try therefore at something, and all from your mind. Your return home will not be long delayed, for the ship is already into the water, and the is found.”
Ulysses answered, “Laodamas, why do you me in this way? my mind is set on than contests; I have been through trouble, and am come among you now as a suppliant, praying your king and people to me on my return home.”
Then Euryalus him and said, “I gather, then, that you are in any of the many that men in. I you are one of those that go about in ships as captains or merchants, and who think of nothing but of their and cargoes. There not to be much of the about you.”
“For shame, Sir,” answered Ulysses, fiercely, “you are an fellow—so true is it that the gods do not all men in speech, person, and understanding. One man may be of weak presence, but has this with such a good that he every one who sees him; his his with him so that he is leader in all of his fellows, and he goes he is looked up to. Another may be as as a god, but his good looks are not with discretion. This is your case. No god make a looking than you are, but you are a fool. Your ill-judged have me angry, and you are mistaken, for I in a great many exercises; indeed, so long as I had and strength, I was among the of the age. Now, however, I am out by and sorrow, for I have gone through much on the of and by the of the sea; still, in of all this I will compete, for your have me to the quick.”
So he up without taking his off, and a disc, larger, more and much than those used by the Phaeacians when disc-throwing among themselves.68 Then, it back, he it from his hand, and it a in the air as he did so. The Phaeacians the of its as it from his hand, and any mark that had been yet. Minerva, in the of a man, came and marked the place where it had fallen. “A man, Sir,” said she, “could easily tell your mark by for it—it is so ahead of any other. You may make your mind easy about this contest, for no Phaeacian can come near to such a as yours.”
Ulysses was when he he had a friend among the lookers-on, so he to speak more pleasantly. “Young men,” said he, “come up to that if you can, and I will another as or heavier. If anyone wants to have a with me let him come on, for I am angry; I will box, wrestle, or run, I do not what it is, with any man of you all Laodamas, but not with him I am his guest, and one cannot with one’s own personal friend. At least I do not think it a or a thing for a guest to challenge his host’s family at any game, when he is in a country. He will cut the ground from under his own if he does; but I make no as any one else, for I want to have the out and know which is the best man. I am a good hand at every of sport among mankind. I am an excellent archer. In I am always the to a man with my arrow, no how many more are taking at him alongside of me. Philoctetes was the only man who shoot than I when we Achaeans were Troy and in practice. I every one else in the whole world, of those who still eat upon the of the earth, but I should not like to shoot against the dead, such as Hercules, or Eurytus the Oechalian—men who shoot against the gods themselves. This in was how Eurytus came by his end, for Apollo was angry with him and killed him he him as an archer. I can a than any one else can shoot an arrow. Running is the only point in respect of which I am some of the Phaeacians might me, for I have been very low at sea; my ran short, and therefore I am still weak.”
They all their peace King Alcinous, who began, “Sir, we have had much in all that you have told us, from which I that you are to your prowess, as having been with some that have been to you by one of our athletes, and which have been by any one who how to talk with propriety. I you will my meaning, and will to any one of your men who may be with and your family when you home, that we have an for of all kinds. We are not particularly for our boxing, yet as wrestlers, but we are of and are excellent sailors. We are of good dinners, music, and dancing; we also like of linen, warm baths, and good beds, so now, please, some of you who are the best dancers set about dancing, that our guest on his return home may be able to tell his friends how much we all other nations as sailors, runners, dancers, and minstrels. Demodocus has left his at my house, so some one or other of you and it for him.”
On this a off to the from the king’s house, and the nine men who had been as forward. It was their to manage with the sports, so they the ground and marked a wide space for the dancers. Presently the came with Demodocus’s lyre, and he took his place in the of them, the best dancers in the town to and it so that Ulysses was with the of their feet.
Meanwhile the to sing the loves of Mars and Venus, and how they their in the house of Vulcan. Mars Venus many presents, and King Vulcan’s marriage bed, so the sun, who saw what they were about, told Vulcan. Vulcan was very angry when he such news, so he to his mischief, got his great into its place, and to some which none either or break, so that they might there in that place.69 When he had his he into his and the bed-posts all over with like cobwebs; he also let many from the great of the ceiling. Not a god see them so and were they. As soon as he had spread the all over the bed, he as though he were setting out for the of Lemnos, which of all places in the world was the one he was most of. But Mars no look out, and as soon as he saw him start, off to his house, with love for Venus.
Now Venus was just come in from a visit to her father Jove, and was about when Mars came the house, and said as he took her hand in his own, “Let us go to the of Vulcan: he is not at home, but is gone off to Lemnos among the Sintians, speech is barbarous.”
She was nothing loth, so they to the to take their rest, they were in the which Vulcan had spread for them, and neither up hand or foot, but too late that they were in a trap. Then Vulcan came up to them, for he had Lemnos, when his the sun told him what was going on. He was in a passion, and in the making a noise as he to all the gods.
“Father Jove,” he cried, “and all you other gods who live for ever, come here and see the and that I will you. Jove’s Venus is always me I am lame. She is in love with Mars, who is and clean built, I am a cripple—but my are to for that, not I; they ought to have me. Come and see the pair together asleep on my bed. It makes me to look at them. They are very of one another, but I do not think they will there longer than they can help, do I think that they will sleep much; there, however, they shall till her father has me the I gave him for his of a daughter, who is but not honest.”
On this the gods to the house of Vulcan. Earth-encircling Neptune came, and Mercury the of luck, and King Apollo, but the at home all of them for shame. Then the of all good in the doorway, and the gods with laughter, as they saw how Vulcan had been, one would turn his neighbour saying:
“Ill do not prosper, and the weak the strong. See how Vulcan, as he is, has Mars who is the god in heaven; and now Mars will be in damages.”
Thus did they converse, but King Apollo said to Mercury, “Messenger Mercury, of good things, you would not how the were, would you, if you sleep with Venus?”
“King Apollo,” answered Mercury, “I only wish I might the chance, though there were three times as many chains—and you might look on, all of you, gods and goddesses, but I would sleep with her if I could.”
The gods out laughing as they him, but Neptune took it all seriously, and on Vulcan to set Mars free again. “Let him go,” he cried, “and I will undertake, as you require, that he shall pay you all the that are among the gods.”
“Do not,” Vulcan, “ask me to do this; a man’s is security; what I against you if Mars should go away and his him along with his chains?”
“Vulcan,” said Neptune, “if Mars goes away without paying his damages, I will pay you myself.” So Vulcan answered, “In this case I cannot and must not you.”
Thereon he the that them, and as soon as they were free they off, Mars to Thrace and laughter-loving Venus to Cyprus and to Paphos, where is her and her with offerings. Here the Graces her, and her with oil of such as the gods make use of, and they her in of the most beauty.
Thus sang the bard, and Ulysses and the Phaeacians were as they him.
Then Alcinous told Laodamas and Halius to alone, for there was no one to with them. So they took a red which Polybus had for them, and one of them himself and it up the clouds, while the other jumped from off the ground and it with it came again. When they had done the up into the air they to dance, and at the same time on it and to one another, while all the men in the ring and a great with their feet. Then Ulysses said:
“King Alcinous, you said your people were the dancers in the world, and they have proved themselves to be so. I was as I saw them.”
The king was at this, and to the Phaeacians, “Aldermen and town councillors, our guest to be a person of judgement; let us give him such proof of our as he may expect. There are twelve men among you, and myself there are thirteen; contribute, each of you, a clean cloak, a shirt, and a of gold; let us give him all this in a at once, so that when he his supper he may do so with a light heart. As for Euryalus he will have to make a and a present too, for he has been rude.”
Thus did he speak. The others all of them his saying, and sent their to the presents. Then Euryalus said, “King Alcinous, I will give the all the you require. He shall have my sword, which is of bronze, all but the hilt, which is of silver. I will also give him the of newly into which it fits. It will be a great to him.”
As he spoke he the in the hands of Ulysses and said, “Good luck to you, father stranger; if anything has been said may the it away with them, and may you a safe return, for I you have been long away from home, and have gone through much hardship.”
To which Ulysses answered, “Good luck to you too my friend, and may the gods you every happiness. I you will not miss the you have me along with your apology.”
With these he the about his and the presents to make their appearance, as the of the them to the house of King Alcinous; here his sons them, and them under their mother’s charge. Then Alcinous the way to the house and his guests take their seats.
“Wife,” said he, to Queen Arete, “Go, the best we have, and put a clean and shirt in it. Also, set a copper on the fire and some water; our guest will take a warm bath; see also to the packing of the presents that the Phaeacians have him; he will thus his supper and the that will follow. I shall myself give him this goblet—which is of workmanship—that he may be of me for the of his life he makes a drink to Jove, or to any of the gods.”70
Then Arete told her to set a large upon the fire as fast as they could, they set a full of water on to a clear fire; they on to make it blaze, and the water as the played about the of the tripod.71 Meanwhile Arete a from her own room, and it she packed all the presents of gold and which the Phaeacians had brought. Lastly she added a and a good shirt from Alcinous, and said to Ulysses:
“See to the yourself, and have the whole at once, for any one should you by the way when you are asleep in your ship.” 72
When Ulysses this he put the on the and it fast with a that Circe had him. He had done so an upper told him to come to the and wash himself. He was very of a warm bath, for he had had no one to wait upon him since he left the house of Calypso, who as long as he with her had taken as good of him as though he had been a god. When the had done and him with oil, and had him a clean and shirt, he left the room and joined the guests who were over their wine. Lovely Nausicaa by one of the bearing-posts supporting the of the cloister, and him as she saw him pass. “Farewell stranger,” said she, “do not me when you are safe at home again, for it is to me that you a for having saved your life.”
And Ulysses said, “Nausicaa, of great Alcinous, may Jove the husband of Juno, that I may my home; so shall I you as my all my days, for it was you who saved me.”
When he had said this, he seated himself Alcinous. Supper was then served, and the was mixed for drinking. A in the Demodocus, and set him in the of the company, near one of the bearing-posts supporting the cloister, that he might against it. Then Ulysses cut off a piece of with of (for there was left on the joint) and said to a servant, “Take this piece of over to Demodocus and tell him to eat it; for all the pain his may me I will him none the less; are and the world, for the teaches them their and loves them.”
The the in his over to Demodocus, who took it and was very much pleased. They then their hands on the good that were them, and as soon as they had had to eat and drink, Ulysses said to Demodocus, “Demodocus, there is no one in the world I more than I do you. You must have under the Muse, Jove’s daughter, and under Apollo, so do you sing the return of the Achaeans with all their and adventures. If you were not there yourself, you must have it all from some one who was. Now, however, your song and tell us of the which Epeus with the of Minerva, and which Ulysses got by into the of Troy after it with the men who the city. If you will sing this I will tell all the world how has you.”
The of took up the at the point where some of the Argives set fire to their and away while others, the horse,73 were waiting with Ulysses in the Trojan place of assembly. For the Trojans themselves had the into their fortress, and it there while they sat in it, and were in three minds as to what they should do. Some were for it up then and there; others would have it to the top of the on which the stood, and then the precipice; while yet others were for it as an and propitiation for the gods. And this was how they settled it in the end, for the city was when it took in that horse, which were all the of the Argives waiting to death and on the Trojans. Anon he sang how the sons of the Achaeans from the horse, and the town, out from their ambuscade. He sang how they the city and and it, and how Ulysses like Mars along with Menelaus to the house of Deiphobus. It was there that the most furiously, by Minerva’s help he was victorious.
All this he told, but Ulysses was overcome as he him, and his were wet with tears. He as a woman when she herself on the of her husband who has his own city and people, in of his home and children. She and her arms about him as he for and dying, but her her from about the and shoulders, and her off into slavery, to a life of and sorrow, and the from her cheeks—even so did Ulysses weep, but none of those present his Alcinous, who was near him, and the and that he was heaving. The king, therefore, at once rose and said:
“Aldermen and town of the Phaeacians, let Demodocus his song, for there are those present who do not to like it. From the moment that we had done supper and Demodocus to sing, our guest has been all the time and lamenting. He is in great trouble, so let the off, that we may all ourselves, and guest alike. This will be much more as it should be, for all these festivities, with the and the presents that we are making with so much good will are in his honour, and any one with a amount of right that he ought to a guest and a as though he were his own brother.
“Therefore, Sir, do you on your part affect no more in the about which I shall ask you; it will be more in you to give me a plain answer; tell me the name by which your father and mother over used to call you, and by which you were among your and fellow-citizens. There is no one, neither rich poor, who is without any name whatever, for people’s fathers and mothers give them names as soon as they are born. Tell me also your country, nation, and city, that our ships may shape their purpose and take you there. For the Phaeacians have no pilots; their have no as those of other nations have, but the ships themselves what it is that we are about and want; they know all the and in the whole world, and can the sea just as well when it is with and cloud, so that there is no of being or to any harm. Still I do my father say that Neptune was angry with us for being too easy-going in the of people escorts. He said that one of these days he should a ship of ours as it was returning from having some one,74 and our city under a high mountain. This is what my father used to say, but the god will out his threat or no is a which he will decide for himself.
“And now, tell me and tell me true. Where have you been wandering, and in what have you travelled? Tell us of the themselves, and of their cities—who were hostile, and uncivilised, and who, on the other hand, and humane. Tell us also why you are so on about the return of the Argive Danaans from Troy. The gods all this, and sent them their in order that might have something to sing about. Did you some of your wife’s when you were Troy? a son-in-law or father-in-law—which are the nearest relations a man has his own and blood? or was it some and kindly-natured comrade—for a good friend is as dear to a man as his own brother?”
