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On this the maids left off
running away and began calling one another back. They made Odysseus
sit down in the shelter as Nausicaa had told them, and brought him a
shirt and cloak. They also brought him the little golden cruse of
oil, and told him to go wash in the stream. But Odysseus said, "Young
women, please to stand a little on one side that I may wash the brine
from my shoulders and anoint myself with oil, for it is long enough
since my skin has had a drop of oil upon it. I cannot wash as long as
you all keep standing there. I am ashamed to strip before a number of
good-looking young women."
Then they stood on one side and
went to tell the girl, while Odysseus washed himself in the stream
and scrubbed the brine from his back and from his broad shoulders.
When he had thoroughly washed himself, and had got the brine out of
his hair, he anointed himself with oil, and put on the clothes which
the girl had given him; Athena then made him look taller and stronger
than before, she also made the hair grow thick on the top of his
head, and flow down in curls like hyacinth blossoms; she poured down
gracefulness [kharis] over his head and shoulders as a
skillful workman who has studied art of all kinds under Hephaistos
and Athena enriches a piece of silver plate by gilding it - and his
work is full of beauty. Then he went and sat down a little way off
upon the beach, looking quite young and handsome
[kharis], and the girl gazed on him with admiration;
then she said to her maids:
"Hush, my dears, for I want to
say something. I believe the gods who live in heaven have sent this
man to the Phaeacians. When I first saw him I thought him plain, but
now his appearance is like that of the gods who dwell in heaven. I
should like my future husband to be just such another as he is, if he
would only stay here and not want to go away. However, give him
something to eat and drink."
They did as they were told, and
set food before Odysseus, who ate and drank ravenously, for it was
long since he had had food of any kind. Meanwhile, Nausicaa bethought
her of another matter. She got the linen folded and placed in the
wagon, she then yoked the mules, and, as she took her seat, she
called Odysseus:
Homer. The Odyssey. Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original. Samuel Butler. Based on public domain edition, revised by Timothy Power and Gregory Nagy. A. C. Fifield, London. 1900 (?).
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