To which Odysseus answered, "Good
luck to you too my friend, and may the gods grant you every happiness
[olbos]. I hope you will not miss the sword you have
given me along with your apology."
With these words he girded the
sword about his shoulders and towards sundown the presents began to
make their appearance, as the servants of the donors kept bringing
them to the house of King Alkinoos; here his sons received them, and
placed them under their mother's charge. Then Alkinoos led the
way to the house and bade his guests take their seats.
"Wife," said he, turning to Queen
Arete, "Go, fetch the best chest we have, and put a clean cloak and
shirt in it. Also, set a copper on the fire and heat some water; our
guest will take a warm bath; see also to the careful packing of the
presents that the noble Phaeacians have made him; he will thus better
enjoy both his supper and the singing that will follow. I shall
myself give him this golden goblet - which is of exquisite
workmanship - that he may be reminded of me for the rest of his life
whenever he makes a drink-offering to Zeus, or to any of the
gods."
Then Arete told her maids to set
a large tripod upon the fire as fast as they could, whereon they set
a tripod full of bath water on to a clear fire; they threw on sticks
to make it blaze, and the water became hot as the flame played about
the belly of the tripod. Meanwhile Arete brought a magnificent chest
her own room, and inside it she packed all the beautiful presents of
gold and raiment which the Phaeacians had brought. Lastly she added a
cloak and a good shirt from Alkinoos, and said to
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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