The Odyssey Page 17

  This is the kind of thing that gets you well spoken of

  among men, and pleases your father and lady mother!

  30

  So let's go and do the washing tomorrow at daybreak:

  I'll come with you as helper, let you make yourself ready

  as soon as may be: you won't be unmarried much longer!

  Already suitors are courting you, the noblest Phaiakians

  in these parts--and you share their lineage! So come now,

  35

  urge your far-famed father, first thing this morning,

  to have mules and a wagon ready, to carry for you

  the sashes and robes and bright coverlets. And for yourself

  it's much better to travel this way than to go by foot:

  the washing troughs are a long way distant from the city."

  40

  That said, the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, departed

  for Olympos, where, they say, the gods have their abode

  forever immovable, never shaken by gales nor wet

  with rain, nor does snow ever visit them; the sky

  stretches dazzling and cloudless, the upper air gleams white.

  45

  The blessed gods find enjoyment here all their days,

  and here the grey-eyed one went, after speaking with the girl.

  Now Dawn on her fine throne arrived, and woke up the latter,

  the finely robed Nausikaa. She at once, amazed by her dream,

  went off through the house to report it to her parents,

  50

  her own dear father and mother. She found them in:

  her mother sitting there at the hearth with her handmaids,

  spinning sea-purple yarn on a distaff; her father she caught

  on the point of leaving to join the distinguished elders

  in council, summoned there by the lords of Phaiakia.

  55

  She went up to her dear father, and addressed him thus:

  "Dear Papa, won't you please have a wagon made ready for me--

  the high one, with good wheels, so I can take the fine

  clothes that are lying here soiled to the river for washing?

  For you too it's proper, when you're with the chief men

  60

  debating in council, to be wearing fresh-laundered clothes,

  and you've five sons living with you, here in your halls,

  two married, but three lively bachelors, who always

  insist on having fresh-laundered clothes to put on

  for going to the dance: all this now needs my attention."

  65

  So she spoke, too embarrassed to mention lusty marriage

  to her father; but he understood all, and responded, saying:

  "I begrudge you neither the mules, child, nor anything else,

  so off you go: the servants will ready the wagon for you--

  the high one, with good wheels, and fitted bodywork."

  70

  With that he called to the servants, and they obeyed him.

  They made ready the good-wheeled mule wagon outside,

  and brought the mules, and yoked and harnessed them,

  while the girl fetched out the bright garments from indoors,

  and stowed them away in the polished cart, and her mother

  75

  added a box full of satisfying things to eat--

  appetizers galore, and poured out a measure of wine

  in a goatskin bottle. Nausikaa boarded the wagon,

  and her mother gave her a golden flask full of soft oil, with which

  she and her handmaids could massage themselves.1 She now

  80

  took hold of the whip and the brightly polished reins,

  and whipped up the mules to start them. They clattered off

  at a smart trot, not pausing, with girl and laundry aboard--

  not alone, for her handmaids all came along with her.

  When they reached the sweet flow of the river, at the site

  85

  of the regular wash troughs--always enough clean water

  from springs there or outflow to clean the dirtiest garments--

  then they unhitched the mules, set them free from the wagon,

  and shooed them off along the bank of the eddying river

  to graze on honey-sweet clover, while they themselves

  90

  took armfuls of clothes from the wagon to the dark water

  and trod them out in the basins, fast-moving, competitive.

  Then after they'd washed them and got them clean again

  they spread them in rows on the shoreline, where the surf

  beating upon the strand had most clearly scoured the pebbles.

  95

  Then they bathed, and rubbed themselves down with oil,

  and ate their lunch beside the banks of the river

  while waiting until the clothes dried off in the bright sunlight.

  When the handmaids and Nausikaa had eaten their fill

  they then threw off their veils and turned to playing ball,

  100

  and white-armed Nausikaa was their leader as they sang.

  Just as the archer Artemis roams across mountain ranges--

  lofty Taygetos, say, or Erymanthos--exulting

  in her pursuit of wild boar or of the swift-footed deer,

  and country nymphs, daughters of Zeus the aegis bearer,

  105

  join the sport with her, and Leto rejoices at the sight

  of Artemis, head and brow higher than all the others,

  and easily recognized, though each one is beautiful:

  so amid all her handmaids shone out this unwed maiden.

  But when she was on the point of starting back homeward,

  110

  with the mules yoked up and the fine clothes folded, then

  the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, had another idea:

  that Odysseus should wake, and see the sweet-faced girl,

  and that she should escort him to the Phaiakians' city.

  So when the princess next tossed the ball to a handmaid

  115

  she missed the handmaid, and sent it into a deep eddy.

  They all cried out at length, and noble Odysseus awoke,

  and sat up, wondering in his mind and heart: "Ah me,

  among what sort of mortals have I now made landfall?

  Are they wild and outrageous, men with no sense of justice,

  120

  or hospitable to strangers, a god-fearing people? An outcry

  of women--young girls--just echoed round about me:

  the nymphs, it could be, who haunt the sheer mountain peaks

  and the rivers' springs and the grassy meadows! Or am I

  somewhere near talking humans? Well, come on now,

  125

  let me take a look for myself, see what I can discover."

  That said, godlike Odysseus came out from under the bushes.

  Strong-handed, he broke off a leafy branch from the dense

  maquis to cover his body, hide the male parts. He came forth

  like some mountain-bred lion, confident in his strength,

  130

  who, beaten by wind and rain, still advances, both his eyes

  ablaze, as in among cattle or sheep he hastens, or in

  pursuit of wild deer: his ravenous belly drives him

  to go after the flocks even inside the close-walled farmstead.

  So Odysseus was set to mingle,2 though naked, among these

  135

  fair-tressed young girls: such need had come upon him.

  A terrifying sight they found him, all crusted with dried brine,

  and they scattered in panic around the jutting sand-spits.

  Alkinoos' daughter alone stood firm, for Athene had put

  courage into her heart, and purged the fear from her limbs.

  140

  She st
ood still, holding her ground. Odysseus debated--should he

  clasp the knees of this good-looking girl when making his plea,

  or should he stay put, just cajole her with honey-sweet phrases

  so she'd give him clothes, show him the way into town?

  As he thus reflected, he decided that it would be better

  145

  to stay put, just cajole her with honey-sweet phrases--

  the girl might take offense if he grabbed her knees!

  So he made an impromptu speech, both honey-sweet and crafty:

  "By your knees I entreat you, lady--some goddess are you,

  or mortal? If a goddess, one of those who hold broad heaven,

  150

  then to Artemis, great Zeus' daughter, I find you most

  nearly akin in beauty and height and carriage; but if

  you're mortal, one of those who dwell here on earth, then thrice

  blessed indeed are your father and the lady your mother,

  thrice blessed your brothers! Greatly warmed with pleasure

  155

  must their hearts always be on your account, as they see

  so fine an offshoot taking her place among the dancers!

  But blessed at heart, far above all others, is he

  who'll dower you with bride-gifts and lead you to his home!

  Never before have my eyes seen a mortal such as you are,

  160

  either man or woman: I'm awed at the sight of you!

  On Delos once, beside Apollo's altar, I saw

  something like you: a young palm-shoot springing up--

  I put in there, along with a crowd of followers,

  on the same journey fated to bring me such misfortune--

  165

  and likewise at that sight I was long in awe,

  since never before had such a tree sprung from earth!

  Just so, lady, I'm awed and amazed by you, and greatly

  fear now to touch your knees. Much hardship has assailed me:

  for twenty days--until yesterday, when I got clear

  170

  of the wine-dark sea--the waves and storm winds bore me

  away from the isle of Ogygia. Now some god's landed me here,

  I guess, to suffer more trouble, for I don't suppose

  it'll stop now: the gods have plenty in store for me still.

  So, lady, show me compassion: after all my suffering

  175

  you're the first person I've met--not a single other one

  do I know of all those who possess this city and this country.

  Just show me the way into town, give me some rag to wear--

  maybe you had a wrapper for the clothes you brought here?--

  and may the gods grant you all that your heart desires,

  180

  husband, home, and like-mindedness--a precious gift,

  for there's nothing greater or better, ever, than when two

  like-minded people are keeping house together,

  a man and his wife: much frustration for their ill-wishers,

  much joy for their friends, but they two know it the best."

  185

  Then white-armed Nausikaa made him this answer: "Stranger,

  you seem neither malicious nor witless: but it's Zeus,

  the Olympian in person, who bestows good fortune on men,

  the good and the bad, to each as he wills; I suppose

  he chose this lot for you, and you just have to bear it.

  190

  But now, since it's our land and city that you've come to,

  you'll not go short of clothing nor of anything else

  that befits a long-suffering suppliant on arrival.

  I'll show you the way into town, name the inhabitants:

  it's the Phaiakians who possess this land and city,

  195

  and I am the daughter of great-hearted Alkinoos,

  in whom the Phaiakians' power and might are vested."

  That said, she snapped out orders to her fair-tressed handmaids:

  "Come back here, girls! Scuttling off when you see a man?

  Do you really suppose he's some kind of enemy?

  200

  There's no mortal alive, nor could there ever be one,

  who'd show up in this land of Phaiakian men

  with hostile intent, so dear are we to the immortals!

  Remote is our dwelling, far off in the surging deep;

  none further distant, other mortals don't mix with us.

  205

  No, this is some ill-starred drifter who's ended up here,

  and we must now take care of, since from Zeus are all

  strangers and beggars: any gift, though small, is welcome.

  So come, girls, provide this stranger with food and drink,

  and wash him off in the river, well sheltered from the wind."

  210

  So she spoke. They stopped, and encouraged one another,

  and brought Odysseus to shelter, just as Nausikaa,

  daughter of great-hearted Alkinoos, had told them to do,

  and put beside him a mantle and tunic to wear, and gave him

  the golden flask containing soft liquid olive oil,

  215

  and offered to wash him off in the flow of the river.

  Then godlike Odysseus addressed the handmaids, saying:

  "Handmaids, stand further off, leave me on my own

  to scrub off the brine from my shoulders, rub myself over

  with oil--indeed it's a long time since oil came near my skin.

  220

  I'm not going to bathe in your presence: I feel embarrassed

  to be naked among all you fair-tressed young ladies."

  So he spoke. They went back, told Nausikaa what he'd said.

  Now godlike Odysseus scrubbed off with river water

  the brine encrusting his back and his broad shoulders,

  225

  and wiped the unharvested sea's scurf from his head;

  then when he'd washed all over, and rubbed himself with oil,

  and had put on the clothes that the unwed girl provided,

  then Athene, offspring of Zeus, made him in appearance

  taller and stronger, made the hair spring from his head

  230

  in rich curls, like the flower of the hyacinth. As when a man

  overlays silver with gold, a skillful artisan who's been

  taught every craft by Hephaistos and Pallas Athene,

  and thus turns out the most elegant handiwork,

  such was the grace she shed upon his head and shoulders.

  235

  Then he took himself off, sat down on the seashore

  agleam with beauty and grace: the girl stared, awestruck,

  and addressed her fair-tressed handmaids, saying: "Listen,

  my white-armed handmaids: let me tell you something!

  Not without the gods' will--all the gods who hold Olympos--

  240

  has this man come here to mingle with the godlike Phaiakians!

  Before, he seemed to me to be mean and shabby,

  whereas now he resembles the gods who possess broad heaven!

  If only a man such as this could be chosen as my husband--

  could be domiciled here--might even want to stay here!

  245

  But come, girls, provide the stranger with food and drink."

  So she spoke, and they readily heard and obeyed her,

  and set before Odysseus both food and drink. So now

  the much-enduring godlike Odysseus both ate and drank,

  ravenously, since he'd gone a long time without food.

  250

  Now white-armed Nausikaa had one more thought. She folded

  the clothes, and stowed them in the beautiful wagon,

  and yoked the hard-hoofed mules, and climbed aboard herself.

  Then she called out to Odysseus, ad
dressed him directly:

  "Get up now, stranger, and I'll guide you to town, direct you

  255

  to my wise father's house, where, I promise you, you'll make

  the acquaintance of all the best of the Phaiakians.