’Listen, my white-armed maidens, and I will say somewhat.  Not without the will of all the gods who hold Olympus hath this man come among the godlike Phaeacians.  Erewhile he seemed to me uncomely, but now he is like the gods that keep the wide heaven.  Would that such an one might be called my husband, dwelling here, and that it might please him here to abide!  But come, my maidens, give the stranger meat and drink.’

Thus she spake, and they gave ready ear and hearkened, and set beside Odysseus meat and drink, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus did eat and drink eagerly, for it was long since he had tasted food.

Now Nausicaa of the white arms had another thought.  She folded the raiment and stored it in the goodly wain, and yoked the mules strong of hoof, and herself climbed into the car.  Then she called on Odysseus, and spake and hailed him:  ’Up now, stranger, and rouse thee to go to the city, that I may convey thee to the house of my wise father, where, I promise thee, thou shalt get knowledge of all the noblest of the Phaeacians.  But do thou even as I tell thee, and thou seemest a discreet man enough.  So long as we are passing along the fields and farms of men, do thou fare quickly with the maidens behind the mules and the chariot, and I will lead the way.  But when we set foot within the city,—­whereby goes a high wall with towers, and there is a fair haven on either side of the town, and narrow is the entrance, and curved ships are drawn up on either hand of the mole, for all the folk have stations for their vessels, each man one for himself.  And there is the place of assembly about the goodly temple of Poseidon, furnished with heavy stones, deep bedded in the earth.  There men look to the gear of the black ships, hawsers and sails, and there they fine down the oars.  For the Phaeacians care not for bow nor quiver, but for masts, and oars of ships, and gallant barques, wherein rejoicing they cross the grey sea.  Their ungracious speech it is that I would avoid, lest some man afterward rebuke me, and there are but too many insolent folk among the people.  And some one of the baser sort might meet me and say:  “Who is this that goes with Nausicaa, this tall and goodly stranger?  Where found she him?  Her husband he will be, her very own.  Either she has taken in some shipwrecked wanderer of strange men,—­for no men dwell near us; or some god has come in answer to her instant prayer; from heaven has he descended, and will have her to wife for evermore.  Better so, if herself she has ranged abroad and found a lord from a strange land, for verily she holds in no regard the Phaeacians here in this country, the many men and noble who are her wooers.”  So will they speak, and this would turn to my reproach.  Yea, and I myself would think it blame of another maiden who did such things in despite of her friends, her father and mother being still alive, and was conversant with men before the day of open wedlock.  But, stranger, heed well what I say, that as soon as may