So Odysseus was about to join the fair-tressed maidens, naked though he was; for necessity had come upon him.
§6.137σμερδαλέος δʼ αὐτῇσι φάνη κεκακωμένος ἅλμῃ, §6.138τρέσσαν δʼ ἄλλυδις ἄλλη ἐπʼ ἠιόνας προὐχούσας·
And he appeared terrifying to them, marred with salt water, and they fled in panic here and there along the jutting shores.
§6.139οἴη δʼ Ἀλκινόου θυγάτηρ μένε· τῇ γὰρ Ἀθήνη §6.140θάρσος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε καὶ ἐκ δέος εἵλετο γυίων.
But the daughter of Alcinous alone remained; for Athena put courage in her heart and took fear from her limbs.
§6.141στῆ δʼ ἄντα σχομένη· ὁ δὲ μερμήριξεν Ὀδυσσεύς, §6.142ἢ γούνων λίσσοιτο λαβὼν ἐυώπιδα κούρην, §6.143ἦ αὔτως ἐπέεσσιν ἀποσταδὰ μειλιχίοισι §6.144λίσσοιτʼ, εἰ δείξειε πόλιν καὶ εἵματα δοίη.
And she stood facing him, holding her ground; and Odysseus pondered, whether he should clasp the knees of the fair-faced maiden and entreat her, or whether, just as he was, from afar with gentle words he should entreat her, if she would show him the city and give him clothes.
§6.145ὣς ἄρα οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι, §6.146λίσσεσθαι ἐπέεσσιν ἀποσταδὰ μειλιχίοισι, §6.147μή οἱ γοῦνα λαβόντι χολώσαιτο φρένα κούρη.
Thus indeed as he reflected it seemed to him to be better, to entreat her from afar with gentle words, lest the maiden should grow angry in her heart if he clasped her knees.
§6.148αὐτίκα μειλίχιον καὶ κερδαλέον φάτο μῦθον.
Straightway he spoke a gentle and winning word.
§6.149γουνοῦμαί σε, ἄνασσα· θεός νύ τις, ἦ βροτός ἐσσι;
"I clasp your knees, O queen; are you indeed some goddess, or a mortal?
§6.150εἰ μέν τις θεός ἐσσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν, §6.151Ἀρτέμιδί σε ἐγώ γε, Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο, §6.152εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε φυήν τʼ ἄγχιστα ἐίσκω·
If you are indeed some goddess, of those who hold the wide heaven, to Artemis, the daughter of great Zeus, I liken you most closely in beauty, size, and form.
§6.153εἰ δέ τίς ἐσσι βροτῶν, τοὶ ἐπὶ χθονὶ ναιετάουσιν, §6.154τρὶς μάκαρες μὲν σοί γε πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ, §6.155τρὶς μάκαρες δὲ κασίγνητοι· μάλα πού σφισι θυμὸς §6.156αἰὲν ἐυφροσύνῃσιν ἰαίνεται εἵνεκα σεῖο, §6.157λευσσόντων τοιόνδε θάλος χορὸν εἰσοιχνεῦσαν.
But if you are one of mortals, who dwell upon the earth, thrice blessed indeed are your father and lady mother, and thrice blessed are your brothers; surely their hearts are ever warmed with gladness on your account, when they behold such a young shoot entering the dance.
§6.158κεῖνος δʼ αὖ περὶ κῆρι μακάρτατος ἔξοχον ἄλλων, §6.159ὅς κέ σʼ ἐέδνοισι βρίσας οἶκόνδʼ ἀγάγηται.
But most blessed of all in his heart beyond others is he, who shall weigh you down with bridal gifts and lead you to his home.
§6.160οὐ γάρ πω τοιοῦτον ἴδον βροτὸν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν, §6.161οὔτʼ ἄνδρʼ οὔτε γυναῖκα· σέβας μʼ ἔχει εἰσορόωντα.
For never yet have I seen such a mortal with my eyes, neither man nor woman; awe possesses me as I look upon you.
§6.162Δήλῳ δή ποτε τοῖον Ἀπόλλωνος παρὰ βωμῷ §6.163φοίνικος νέον ἔρνος ἀνερχόμενον ἐνόησα· §6.164ἦλθον γὰρ καὶ κεῖσε, πολὺς δέ μοι ἕσπετο λαός, §6.165τὴν ὁδὸν ᾗ δὴ μέλλεν ἐμοὶ κακὰ κήδεʼ ἔσεσθαι.
Once indeed in Delos, by the altar of Apollo, I saw such a young shoot of a palm tree springing up; for I went thither also, and much people followed me, on that journey where indeed evil troubles were to be my lot.
§6.166ὣς δʼ αὔτως καὶ κεῖνο ἰδὼν ἐτεθήπεα θυμῷ §6.167δήν, ἐπεὶ οὔ πω τοῖον ἀνήλυθεν ἐκ δόρυ γαίης, §6.168ὡς σέ, γύναι, ἄγαμαί τε τέθηπά τε, δείδια δʼ αἰνῶς §6.169γούνων ἅψασθαι· χαλεπὸν δέ με πένθος ἱκάνει.
In the self-same way, when I saw that, I marveled in my heart for a long time, since never yet had such a trunk risen up from the earth, as you, lady, whom I admire and marvel at, and I fear terribly to touch your knees; yet grievous sorrow has come upon me.
§6.170χθιζὸς ἐεικοστῷ φύγον ἤματι οἴνοπα πόντον· §6.171τόφρα δέ μʼ αἰεὶ κῦμʼ ἐφόρει κραιπναί τε θύελλαι §6.172νήσου ἀπʼ Ὠγυγίης.
Yesterday, on the twentieth day, I escaped the wine-dark sea; until then the wave and swift storms ever bore me from the island of Ogygia.
νῦν δʼ ἐνθάδε κάββαλε δαίμων, §6.173ὄφρʼ ἔτι που καὶ τῇδε πάθω κακόν· οὐ γὰρ ὀίω §6.174παύσεσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἔτι πολλὰ θεοὶ τελέουσι πάροιθεν.
And now a god has cast me here, so that I may suffer evil even here; for I do not think it will cease, but even yet the gods will bring many things to pass before then.
§6.175ἀλλά, ἄνασσʼ, ἐλέαιρε· σὲ γὰρ κακὰ πολλὰ μογήσας §6.176ἐς πρώτην ἱκόμην, τῶν δʼ ἄλλων οὔ τινα οἶδα §6.177ἀνθρώπων, οἳ τήνδε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἔχουσιν.
But, O queen, have pity; for after suffering many evils to you first have I come, and of the others I know no one, of the men who possess this city and land.
§6.178ἄστυ δέ μοι δεῖξον, δὸς δὲ ῥάκος ἀμφιβαλέσθαι, §6.179εἴ τί που εἴλυμα σπείρων ἔχες ἐνθάδʼ ἰοῦσα.
Show me the city, and give me some rag to cast about me, if perchance you had any wrapping of clothes when you came hither.
§6.180σοὶ δὲ θεοὶ τόσα δοῖεν ὅσα φρεσὶ σῇσι μενοινᾷς, §6.181ἄνδρα τε καὶ οἶκον, καὶ ὁμοφροσύνην ὀπάσειαν §6.182ἐσθλήν· οὐ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ γε κρεῖσσον καὶ ἄρειον, §6.183ἢ ὅθʼ ὁμοφρονέοντε νοήμασιν οἶκον ἔχητον §6.184ἀνὴρ ἠδὲ γυνή· πόλλʼ ἄλγεα δυσμενέεσσι, §6.185χάρματα δʼ εὐμενέτῃσι, μάλιστα δέ τʼ ἔκλυον αὐτοί. §6.186τὸν δʼ αὖ Ναυσικάα λευκώλενος ἀντίον ηὔδα· §6.187ξεῖνʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔτε κακῷ οὔτʼ ἄφρονι φωτὶ ἔοικας· §6.188Ζεὺς δʼ αὐτὸς νέμει ὄλβον Ὀλύμπιος ἀνθρώποισιν, §6.189ἐσθλοῖς ἠδὲ κακοῖσιν, ὅπως ἐθέλῃσιν, ἑκάστῳ· §6.190καί που σοὶ τάδʼ ἔδωκε, σὲ δὲ χρὴ τετλάμεν ἔμπης.
And to you may the gods grant all things that you desire in your mind, a husband and a home, and may they bestow beautiful oneness of mind; for indeed there is nothing better or more excellent, than when husband and wife with one mind keep house, causing many griefs to their enemies, and joy to their friends, and they themselves feel it most." And to him in turn white-armed Nausicaa made answer: "Stranger, since you seem to be neither an evil nor a foolish man; and Zeus himself, the Olympian, distributes happiness to men, both to the good and to the bad, to each as he wills; and doubtless he has given you this lot, and you must endure it in any case.
§6.191νῦν δʼ, ἐπεὶ ἡμετέρην τε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἱκάνεις, §6.192οὔτʼ οὖν ἐσθῆτος δευήσεαι οὔτε τευ ἄλλου, §6.193ὧν ἐπέοιχʼ ἱκέτην ταλαπείριον ἀντιάσαντα.
But now, since you have come to our city and land, you shall not lack for clothing, nor for anything else, of those things which it is fitting for a suffering suppliant to receive.
§6.194ἄστυ δέ τοι δείξω, ἐρέω δέ τοι οὔνομα λαῶν.
And I will show you the city, and will tell you the name of the people.
§6.195Φαίηκες μὲν τήνδε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἔχουσιν, §6.196εἰμὶ δʼ ἐγὼ θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἀλκινόοιο, §6.197τοῦ δʼ ἐκ Φαιήκων ἔχεται κάρτος τε βίη τε. §6.198ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισιν ἐυπλοκάμοισι κέλευσε· §6.199στῆτέ μοι, ἀμφίπολοι· πόσε φεύγετε φῶτα ἰδοῦσαι;
The Phaeacians possess this city and land, and I am the daughter of great-hearted Alcinous, on whom depends the power and might of the Phaeacians." She spoke indeed, and called to her fair-tressed handmaidens: "Stand, my handmaidens; whither do you flee at the sight of a man?"