“Now bid thy handmaids prepare a bath for our guest,” said Alcinous to his wife, and “Receive this as a memorial of me,” he added, placing the goblet in Odysseus’ hands, “that thou mayest remember me all the days of thy life, when thou pourest libations to Zeus and the other deathless gods.”

Arete gave the order as required, and while the bath was preparing she arranged all the gifts in the coffer.  Then closing the lid she said to Odysseus:  “Make all fast with thine own hands, that none may meddle with thy goods as thou liest asleep on thy passage across the sea.”  Odysseus made fast the cord, securing it with an intricate and cunning knot, which he had learnt from the great sorceress Circe; and when he had finished he was summoned by the eldest of the handmaids to the bath.  When he had bathed and put on fresh raiment he came back to the dining-hall; and as he entered he saw Nausicaae leaning against a pillar.  Sweet was the maiden’s face, and kind her eyes, as she gazed with innocent admiration on the stately figure of her father’s guest.  “Farewell, my friend,” said she, “and when thou arrivest home think sometimes of her to whom thou owest thy life.”

“Fair daughter of Alcinous,” answered Odysseus, “if that day ever comes—­if I ever see my home again, by favour of Zeus, the lord of Hera—­be assured that I shall remember thee in my prayers, as long as this life which thou hast given me shall last.”  And so he parted from the maiden, and she went back to her mother’s bower.

Odysseus again received a place of honour by the side of Alcinous, and a goodly portion of meat was set before him.  Looking round the circle of guests he saw Demodocus, the blind harper, sitting in their midst, and wishing to show him honour, he cut off a choice piece from the flesh which had been set before him, and bade a servant carry it to the bard, and greet him in the giver’s name.  The servant did as he was bidden, and Demodocus received the portion of honour with becoming gratitude.

When the banquet was drawing towards its close Odysseus approached the minstrel, and after praising his former lay, which told of the disastrous homeward voyage of the Greeks, he begged him to sing the Lay of the Wooden Horse, the device by which Troy was taken.  Demodocus complied, and taking his harp began to chant that famous lay, which told how the Greeks burnt their tents and sailed away, leaving the wooden monster behind them, how the Trojans dragged the horse into the city, and how the fatal engine sent forth its burden of armed men in the night.  The name of Odysseus, the arch-plotter, occurred again and again as the tale went on; and once more Odysseus was moved to tears by the memories which the words of the bard awakened.