Echeneus sage, a venerable man!

Whose well-taught mind the present age surpass’d,

And join’d to that the experience of the last.

Fit words attended on his weighty sense,

And mild persuasion flow’d in eloquence.


“Oh sight (he cried) dishonest and unjust!

A guest, a stranger, seated in the dust!

To raise the lowly suppliant from the ground

Befits a monarch. Lo! the peers around

But wait thy word, the gentle guest to grace,

And seat him fair in some distinguish’d place.

Let first the herald due libation pay

To Jove, who guides the wanderer on his way:

Then set the genial banquet in his view,

And give the stranger-guest a stranger’s due.”


His sage advice the listening king obeys,

He stretch’d his hand the prudent chief to raise,

And from his seat Laodamas removed

(The monarch’s offspring, and his best-beloved);

There next his side the godlike hero sate;

With stars of silver shone the bed of state.

The golden ewer a beauteous handmaid brings,

Replenish’d from the cool translucent springs,

Whose polish’d vase with copious streams supplies

A silver layer of capacious size.

The table next in regal order spread,

The glittering canisters are heap’d with bread:

Viands of various kinds invite the taste,

Of choicest sort and savour, rich repast!

Thus feasting high, Alcinous gave the sign,

And bade the herald pour the rosy wine;

“Let all around the due libation pay

To Jove, who guides the wanderer on his way.”


He said. Pontonous heard the king’s command;

The circling goblet moves from hand to hand;

Each drinks the juice that glads the heart of man.

Alcinous then, with aspect mild, began:


“Princes and peers, attend; while we impart

To you the thoughts of no inhuman heart.

Now pleased and satiate from the social rite

Repair we to the blessings of the night;

But with the rising day, assembled here,

Let all the elders of the land appear,

Pious observe our hospitable laws,