very beautiful, golden, that remembering me all his days, he may pour forth libations in his palace, both to Jove and the other gods."
Thus he spoke; and Arete told her handmaidens, with all haste to place a large tripod on the fire. And they placed a three-footed laver on the bright fire; and poured water in it, and taking wood kindled it beneath. The fire encircled the belly[1] of the tripod, and the water was warmed. But in the meanwhile Arete brought out of her chamber a very beautiful chest for the stranger, and placed in it handsome presents, a garment, and gold, which the Phæacians gave him; and in it she put a cloak and beautiful tunic, and speaking, addressed to him winged words:
"Thyself now look to the lid, and quickly put a chain upon it,[2] lest any one should defraud thee on thy way, when again thou sleepest sweet slumber, going in the black ship."
But when much-enduring divine Ulysses heard this, he immediately fitted on the lid, and quickly put upon it a various chain, which venerable Circe sometime taught him in his mind. And the housekeeper bade him forthwith wash himself, having gone into the bathing tub: and he gladly in his mind beheld the warm bath; because he had not been at all used to take care of himself since he left the dwelling of the fair-haired Calypso; but so long at least care of himself was continual to him, as to a god. When therefore the handmaidens had washed and anointed him with oil, and had thrown about him a beautiful mantle and tunic, having gone out of the bath, he went to the men who were drinking wine; but Nausicaa, possessing beauty from the gods, stood by a pillar of the well-made roof; and she admired Ulysses, seeing him with her eyes, and speaking she addressed to him winged words: "Farewell, stranger, that sometime being in thy paternal land thou mayest remember me, that thou owest to me first the debt of preservation of thy life."
But her much-counselling Ulysses addressed in answer: "Nausicaa, daughter of strong-hearted Alcinous, thus now may Jove, the mighty-sounding husband of Juno, grant to
