The goddess answer’d: “Father, I obey,

And point the wandering traveller his way:

Well known to me the palace you inquire,

For fast beside it dwells my honour’d sire:

But silent march, nor greet the common train

With question needless, or inquiry vain;

A race of ragged mariners are these,

Unpolish’d men, and boisterous as their seas

The native islanders alone their care,

And hateful he who breathes a foreign air.

These did the ruler of the deep ordain

To build proud navies, and command the main;

On canvas wings to cut the watery way;

No bird so light, no thought so swift as they.”


Thus having spoke, the unknown celestial leads:

The footsteps of the deity he treads,

And secret moves along the crowded space,

Unseen of all the rude Phæacian race.

(So Pallas order’d, Pallas to their eyes

The mist objected, and condensed the skies.)

The chief with wonder sees the extended streets,

The spreading harbours, and the riding fleets;

He next their princes’ lofty domes admires,

In separate islands, crown’d with rising spires;

And deep entrenchments, and high walls of stone.

That gird the city like a marble zone.

At length the kingly palace-gates he view’d;

There stopp’d the goddess, and her speech renew’d;


“My task is done: the mansion you inquire

Appears before you: enter, and admire.

High-throned, and feasting, there thou shalt behold

The sceptred rulers. Fear not, but be bold:

A decent boldness ever meets with friends,

Succeeds, and even a stranger recommends

First to the queen prefer a suppliant’s claim,

Alcinous’ queen, Arete is her name.

The same her parents, and her power the same.

For know, from ocean’s god Nausithous sprung,

And Peribæa, beautiful and young

(Eurymedon’s last hope, who ruled of old

The race of giants, impious, proud, and bold:

Perish’d the nation in unrighteous war,

Perish’d the prince, and left this only heir),

Who now, by Neptune’s amorous power compress’d,