Page 138 - the-odyssey

packed all the beautiful presents of gold and raiment which
the Phaeacians had brought. Lastly she added a cloak and a
good shirt from Alcinous, and said to Ulysses:
‘See to the lid yourself, and have the whole bound round
at once, for fear any one should rob you by the way when
you are asleep in your ship.’ {72}
When Ulysses heard this he put the lid on the chest and
made it fast with a bond that Circe had taught him. He had
done so before an upper servant told him to come to the
bath and wash himself. He was very glad of a warm bath,
for he had had no one to wait upon him ever since he left
the house of Calypso, who as long as he remained with her
had taken as good care of him as though he had been a god.
When the servants had done washing and anointing him
with oil, and had given him a clean cloak and shirt, he left
the bath room and joined the guests who were sitting over
their wine. Lovely Nausicaa stood by one of the bearing-
posts supporting the roof of the cloister, and admired him
as she saw him pass. ‘Farewell stranger,’ said she, ‘do not
forget me when you are safe at home again, for it is to me
first that you owe a ransom for having saved your life.’
And Ulysses said, ‘Nausicaa, daughter of great Alcinous,
may Jove the mighty husband of Juno, grant that I may
reach my home; so shall I bless you as my guardian angel all
my days, for it was you who saved me.’
When he had said this, he seated himself beside Alci-
nous. Supper was then served, and the wine was mixed for
drinking. A servant led in the favourite bard Demodocus,
and set him in the midst of the company, near one of the

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