A Princess and Her Laundry
Odysseus had suffered. In exhaustion from all his long ordeals, the hero slept.
Meanwhile, Athena went to the Phaeacians. This people used to live in Hyperia,
a land of dancing. But their mighty neighbors, the Cyclopes, kept looting them, and they could not hold out. Their king, Nausithous, brought them to Scheria, a distant place,
and built a wall around the town, and homes,
and temples to the gods, and plots of land. 10
He went to Hades. Then Alcinous,
who has god-given wisdom, came to power. Bright-eyed Athena traveled to his palace, to help Odysseus’ journey home.
She went inside the decorated bedroom
where the young princess, Nausicaa, was sleeping, as lovely as a goddess. Slaves were sleeping outside her doorway, one on either side;
two charming girls with all the Graces’ gifts.
The shining doors were shut, but like the wind 20
the goddess reached the bed of Nausicaa, disguised as her best friend, a girl her age, the daughter of the famous sailor Dymas. Sharp-eyed Athena said,
“Oh, Nausicaa!
So lazy! But your mother should have taught you! Your clothes are lying there in dirty heaps,
though you will soon be married, and you need a pretty dress to wear, and clothes to give
to all your bridesmaids. That impresses people,
and makes the parents happy. When day comes, 30
we have to do the laundry. I will come
and help you, so the work will soon be done. Surely you will not long remain unmarried. The best young men here in your native land already want to court you. So at dawn
go ask your father for the cart with mules,
to carry dresses, scarves, and sheets. You should ride there, not walk; the washing pools are far from town.”
The goddess looked into her eyes, then went back to Olympus, which they say 40
is where the gods will have their home forever. The place is never shaken by the wind,
or wet with rain or blanketed by snow.
A cloudless sky is spread above the mountain, white radiance all round. The blessed gods live there in happiness forevermore.
Then Dawn came from her lovely throne, and woke the girl. She was amazed, remembering
her dream, and in a fine dress, went to tell
her parents, whom she found inside the hall. 50
Her mother sat beside the hearth and spun
sea-purpled yarn, her house girls all around her.
Her father was just heading out to council with his renowned advisors, since his people
had called him to a meeting. She stood near him and said,
“Dear Daddy, please would you set up the wagon with the big smooth wheels for me,
so I can take my fine clothes to the river
to wash them? They are dirty. And you too
should wear clean clothes for meeting your advisors, 60
dressed in your best to make important plans. Your five sons also—two of whom are married, but three are strapping single men—they always
want to wear nice fresh-laundered clothes when they are going dancing. This is on my mind.”
She said this since she felt too shy to talk of marriage to her father. But he knew,
and answered, “Child, I would not grudge the mules or anything you want. Go on! The slaves
can fit the wagon with its cargo rack.” 70
He called the household slaves, and they obeyed.
They made the wagon ready and inspected
its wheels, led up the mules, and yoked them to it. The girl brought out the multicolored clothes,
and put them on the cart, while in a basket her mother packed nutritious food for her— a varied meal, with olives, cheese, and wine, stored in a goatskin. Then the girl got in.
Her mother handed her a golden flask
of oil, to use when she had had her bath. 80
Then Nausicaa took up the whip and reins,
and cracked the whip. The mules were on their way, eager to go and rattling the harness,
bringing the clothes and girl and all her slaves. They reached the lovely river where the pools are always full—the water flows in streams and bubbles up from underneath, to wash
even the dirtiest of laundry. There
they freed the mules and drove them to the river
to graze on honeyed grass beside the stream. 90
The girls brought out the laundry from the cart, and brought it to the washing pools and trod it, competing with each other. When the dirt
was gone, they spread the clothes along the shore, where salt sea washes pebbles to the beach.
They bathed and rubbed themselves with olive oil. Then they sat on the riverbank and ate,
and waited for the sun to dry the clothes.
But when they finished eating, they took off
their head-scarves to play ball. The white-armed princess 100
led them in play—like Artemis the archer, running across the heights of Taygetus and Erymanthus; she is glad to run
with boars and fleet-foot deer. The rustic daughters of Zeus the Aegis King play round about her, while Leto is delighted in her heart,
seeing her daughter far above the rest, though all are beautiful. So Nausicaa
stood out above them all. But when the girl
was thinking she should head for home and yoke 110
the mules, and pack the laundry up again, Athena’s eyes flashed bright. Odysseus must wake up, see the pretty girl, and have an escort to the town of the Phaeacians.
The princess threw the ball towards a slave girl, who missed the catch. It fell down in an eddy; the girls all started screaming, very loudly.
Odysseus woke up, and thought things over.
“What is this country I have come to now?
Are all the people wild and violent, 120
or good, hospitable, and god-fearing?
I heard the sound of female voices. Is it nymphs, who frequent the craggy mountaintops, and river streams and meadows lush with grass? Or could this noise I hear be human voices?
I have to try to find out who they are.”
Odysseus jumped up from out the bushes.
Grasping a leafy branch he broke it off to cover up his manly private parts.
Just as a mountain lion trusts its strength, 130
and beaten by the rain and wind, its eyes burn bright as it attacks the cows or sheep, or wild deer, and hunger drives it on
to try the sturdy pens of sheep—so need impelled Odysseus to come upon
the girls with pretty hair, though he was naked. All caked with salt, he looked a dreadful sight. They ran along the shore quite terrified,
some here, some there. But Nausicaa stayed still. Athena made her legs stop trembling 140
and gave her courage in her heart. She stood there. He wondered, should he touch her knees, or keep some distance and use charming words, to beg
the pretty girl to show him to the town,
and give him clothes. At last he thought it best to keep some distance and use words to beg her. The girl might be alarmed at being touched.
His words were calculated flattery.
“My lady, please! Are you divine or human?
If you are some great goddess from the sky, 150
you look like Zeus’ daughter Artemis— you are as tall and beautiful as she.
But if you live on earth and are a human, your mother and your father must be lucky, your brothers also—lucky three times over. Their hearts must be delighted, seeing you,
their flourishing new sprout, the dancers’ leader. And that man will be luckiest by far,
who takes you home with dowry, as his bride.
I have seen no one like you. Never, no one. 160
My eyes are dazzled when I look at you.
I traveled once to Delos, on my way
to war and suffering; my troops marched with me. Beside Apollo’s altar sprang a sapling,
a fresh young palm. I gazed at it and marveled. I never saw so magical a tree.
My lady, you transfix me that same way.
I am in awe of you, afraid to touch
your knees. But I am desperate. I came from
Ogygia, and for twenty days storm winds 170
and waves were driving me, adrift until yesterday some god washed me up right here, perhaps to meet more suffering. I think
my troubles will not end until the gods have done their all. My lady, pity me.
Battered and wrecked, I come to you, you first— and I know no one else in this whole country.
Show me the town, give me some rags to wear, if you brought any clothes when you came here.
So may the gods grant all your heart’s desires, 180
a home and husband, somebody like-minded. For nothing could be better than when two live in one house, their minds in harmony, husband and wife. Their enemies are jealous,
their friends delighted, and they have great honor.”
Then white-armed Nausicaa replied, “Well, stranger, you seem a brave and clever man; you know
that Zeus apportions happiness to people, to good and bad, each one as he decides.
Your troubles come from him, and you must bear them. 190
But since you have arrived here in our land, you will not lack for clothes or anything
a person needs in times of desperation.
I will show you the town. The people here are called Phaeacians, and I am the daughter of the great King Alcinous, on whom
depends the strength and power of our people.”
And then she called her slaves with braided hair. “Wait, girls! Why are you running from this man? Do you believe he is an enemy? 200
No living person ever born would come to our Phaeacia with a hostile mind, since we are much beloved by the gods.
Our island is remote, washed round by sea; we have no human contact. But this man
is lost, poor thing. We must look after him. All foreigners and beggars come from Zeus, and any act of kindness is a blessing.
So give the stranger food and drink, and wash him down in the river, sheltered from the wind.” 210
They stopped, and egged each other on to take Odysseus to shelter, as the princess,
the daughter of Alcinous, had told them. They gave him clothes, a tunic and a cloak, the olive oil in the golden flask,
and led him down to wash beside the river. Odysseus politely said,
“Now, girls, wait at a distance here, so I can wash
my grimy back, and rub myself with oil—
it has been quite a while since I have done it. 220
Please let me wash in private. I am shy of being naked with you—pretty girls with lovely hair.”
So they withdrew, and told their mistress. Then he used the river water
to scrub the brine off from his back and shoulders, and wash the crusty sea salt from his hair.
But when he was all clean and richly oiled, dressed in the clothes the young unmarried girl had given him, Athena made him look
bigger and sturdier, and made his hair 230
grow curling tendrils like a hyacinth. As when Athena and Hephaestus teach a knowledgeable craftsman every art,
and he pours gold on silver, making objects more beautiful—just so Athena poured attractiveness across his head and shoulders. Then he went off and sat beside the sea;
his handsomeness was dazzling. The girl
was shocked. She told her slaves with tidy hair,
“Now listen to me, girls! The gods who live 240
on Mount Olympus must have wished this man to come in contact with my godlike people.
Before, he looked so poor and unrefined; now he is like a god that lives in heaven. I hope I get a man like this as husband,
a man that lives here and would like to stay.
But, girls, now give the stranger food and drink!”
She gave her orders and the girls obeyed— they gave Odysseus some food and drink.
He wolfed the food and drank. He was half starved; 250
it had been ages since he tasted food.
Then white-armed Nausicaa had formed a plan. Folding the clothes, she packed them in the wagon, and yoked the mules, and then she climbed inside. She gave Odysseus some clear instructions.
“Stranger, get ready; you must go to town, and I will have you meet the best of all our people. You seem smart; do as I say.
While we are passing through the fields and farmlands, you have to follow quickly with the girls 260
behind the mules, and let me lead the way. Then we will reach the lofty city wall, which has a scenic port on either side,
and one slim gate, where curved ships are drawn up along the road: a special spot for each.
The meeting place surrounds Poseidon’s shrine, fitted with heavy stones set deep in earth.
And there the workers make the ships’ equipment— cables and sails—and there they plane the oars.
Phaeacians do not care for archery; 270
their passion is for sails and oars and ships,
on which they love to cross the dark-gray ocean.
The people in the town are proud; I worry
that they may speak against me. Someone rude may say, ‘Who is that big strong man with her? Where did she find that stranger? Will he be her husband? She has got him from a ship,
a foreigner, since no one lives near here, or else a god, the answer to her prayers,
descended from the sky to hold her tight. 280
Better if she has found herself a man
from elsewhere, since she scorns the people here, although she has so many noble suitors.’
So they will shame me. I myself would blame a girl who got too intimate with men
before her marriage, and who went against her loving parents’ rules. But listen, stranger,
I will explain the quickest way to gain
my father’s help to make your way back home.
Beside the road there is a grove of poplars; 290
it has a fountain, and a meadow round it. It is Athena’s place, where Father has
his orchard and estate, as far from town as human voice can carry. Sit down there and wait until I reach my father’s house
in town. But when you think I have arrived, walk on and ask directions for the palace
of King Alcinous, my mighty father. It will be very easy finding it;
a tiny child could guide you there. It is 300
unlike the other houses in Phaeacia.
Go through the courtyard, in the house and on straight to the Great Hall. You will find my mother sitting beside the hearth by firelight,
and spinning her amazing purple wool.
She leans against a pillar, slaves behind her. My father has a throne right next to hers; he sits and sips his wine, just like a god.
But pass him by, embrace my mother’s knees
to supplicate. If you do this, you quickly 310
will reach your home, however far it is, in happiness. If she is good to you,
and looks upon you kindly in her heart, you can be sure of getting to your house, back to your family and native land.”
With that, she used her shining whip to urge the mules to go. They left the river streams, and trotted well and clipped their hooves along.
She drove an easy pace to let her slaves
and great Odysseus keep up on foot. 320
The sun was setting when they reached the grove, the famous sanctuary of Athena.
Odysseus sat in it, and at once
he prayed to mighty Zeus’ daughter.
“Hear me, daughter of Zeus! Unvanquished Queen! If ever, when that earth-shaker god was wrecking me,
you helped me—may they pity me and give me kind welcome in Phaeacia.” And Athena
heard him but did not yet appear to him, respecting her own brother in his fury 330
against Odysseus till he reached home.
