ed to the King's words, and Euryalus went to Odysseus and
said, 'Stranger, if I have spoken aught that offended thee, may the
storm winds snatch it and bear it away. May the gods grant that thou
shalt see thy wife and come to thine own country. Too long hast thou
endured afflictions away from thy friends.'

So saying, Euryalus gave Odysseus a sword of bronze with a silver hilt
and a sheath of ivory. Odysseus took it and said, 'And to you, my
friend, may the gods grant all happiness, and mayst thou never miss the
sword that thou hast given me. Thy gracious speech hath made full
amends.'

Each of the twelve princes gave gifts to Odysseus, and the gifts were
brought to the palace and left by the side of the Queen. And Arete
herself gave Odysseus a beautiful coffer with raiment and gold in it,
and Alcinous, the King, gave him a beautiful cup, all of gold.

In the palace the bath was prepared for Odysseus, and he entered it and
was glad of the warm water, for not since he had left the Island of
Calypso did he have a warm bath. He came from the bath and put on the
beautiful raiment that had been given him and he walked through the
hall, looking a king amongst men.

[Illustration]

Now the maiden, Nausicaa, stood by a pillar as he passed, and she knew
that she had never looked upon a man who was more splendid. She had
thought that the stranger whom she had saved would have stayed in her
father's house, and that one day he would be her husband. But now she
knew that by no means would he abide in the land of the Phaeacians. As he
passed by, she spoke to him and said, 'Farewell, O Stranger! And when
thou art in thine own country, think sometimes of me, Nausicaa, who
helped thee.' Odysseus took her hand and said to her, 'Farewell,
daughter of King Alcinous! May Zeus grant that I may return to my own
land. There every day shall I pay homage to my memory of thee, to whom I
owe my life.'

He passed on and he came to where the Princes and Captains and
Councillors of the Phaeacians sat. His seat was beside the King's. Then
the henchman brought in the minstrel, blind Demodocus, and placed him on
a seat by a pillar. And when supper was served Odysseus sent to
Demodocus a portion of his own meat. He spoke too in praise of the
minstrel saying, 'Right well dost thou sing of the Greeks and all they
wrought and suffered--as well, methinks, as if thou hadst been present
at the war of Troy. I would ask if thou canst sing of the Wooden Ho