weight all those used by the Phæacians, and dismissed it swiftly through the air, while the astonished crowd gaze upward, as it passed over all the marks and struck the ground beyond. The prize was immediately awarded to the stranger, who was much applauded by the judges. Ulysses, highly gratified with their applauses, exultingly exclaimed,

Rise ye, Phæacians! try your force,

If with this throw the strongest caster vie,
Still, further still, I bid the discus fly.

Stand forth, ye champions, who the gauntlet wield,
Or ye, the swiftest racers of the field!

Stand forth, ye wrestlers, who these pastimes grace,
I wield the gauntlet and I run the race!
In such heroic games I yield to none,
Or yield to brave Laodamas alone:
Shall I with brave Laodamas contend?

A friend is sacred, and I style him friend.*

The Phæacians were much abashed by the challenge and superior skill of Ulysses, when the king with dignified mildness interfered, with the view to reconcile the parties. He commends Ulysses for the generous warmth with which he had refuted the charges publicly alleged against him, and urges him to continue a spectator of their games, that when his woes and wanderings should cease he might repeat their achievements to his consort and children; assuring his noble guest, that no man capable of estimating merit will deny his worth or offend him more.

The king then called on those who excelled in the dance and in the song, and on those who were unrival

* Odyssey, Book viii. p. 194.

led in speed and in the arts of seamanship, to display their skill in presence of their guest, that he might bear their fame to the heroes of his land. A herald was ordered to return to the palace and bring hither the lyre, that the bard might grace the pastimes with his melodious lays. Mean time a spacious circle was levelled for the dance by those who were selected as umpires, and the bard having received his lyre advanced into the area, where he was soon encircled by a band of blooming youths.

Ulysses beheld with astonishment their graceful movements and agility in dancing, while with wondrous dexterity they tossed a purple ball of curious workmanship to each other, and alternately cast it high in air without suffering it to touch the ground. Ulysses, having witnessed the wonderful feats of the performers, congratulated the king on the happiness and prosperity enjoyed by his subjects under the mild and equitable sway of a monarch so virtuous and beloved, and assures him that their skill surpasses all which had been told him.

Pleased with the courtesy of his guest and the applause so promptly bestowed, the king tells his peers that, since Ulysses has proved himself worthy of their regard, they should, in imitation of their sovereign, present him pledges of hospitality and love due to a stranger of such distinguished merit, that thus honored he might share with joy the social feast.

And thou, Euryalus, redeem thy wrong,

A generous heart repairs a slanderous tongue.*

# Odyssey, Book viii. p. 200.

The princes cheerfully assent to the proposal of their king, and send in haste their heralds to bring gifts of gold and splendid vestments worthy the acceptance of Then Euryalus, advancing cour

the noble stranger.

teously, presents his richly wrought sword to Ulysses, expressing much regret for what he had so rashly uttered, which he trusts will make no impression on the mind of the honored stranger, whom he intreats heaven to crown with every blessing and restore him in safety to his beloved spouse and native shores. Ulysses, animated with the like generous enthusiasm, received the proffered gift and throwing it gracefully over his shoulder, replied:

And blest be thou, my friend;

Crown him with every joy, ye favoring skies;
To thy calm hours continued peace afford,
And never, never, may'st thou want this sword.

As the day was fast closing, the assembled peers again repaired to the court, Alcinous leading the way, followed by heralds bearing the costly gifts of the Ph acian lords, which the sons of the king received and placed in order before their royal mother, whom the king, addressing as his best beloved and sole partner of his throne, requested she would order her attendants to bring in haste a polished coffer, sufficiently capa cious to contain the princely presents.

That bath'd, our guest may bid his sorrows cease,
Hear the sweet song, and taste the feast in peace.
A bowl, that flames with gold of wond'rous frame,
Ourself will give, memorial of our name;

To raise in offerings to almighty Jove,

And every god that treads the courts above.*

The queen, after arranging in order the robes and heaps of gold in a splendid chest, added a dress beautifully inwrought, as a gift expressive of her regard and sympathy for the illustrious stranger, and presenting it to Ulysses requested him to take and gird it securely with bands, lest loss should befall him on the way. Ulysses received it from the hands of Areté, and closing the lid girded it with Circean art in a labyrinth of bands.

The chief was now summoned to the bath by the mistress of the household, and with joy ascended, attended by a train of damsels; where, having enjoyed the bath, a luxury to which he had long been a stranger, the attendants shed over him perfumes of the sweetest odor, and served him with rich attire. Thus splendidly arrayed, Ulysses was passing to the social hall to share the friendly feast, when he perceived the princess Nausicaa, who, all blooming and beautiful as a goddess, stood full where the dome its shining valves expand,' and beheld with admiration the majestic form of the hero; when with graceful simplicity she bade him, when heaven should restore him to his beloved country, remember her, his first deliverer. Ulysses, filled with grateful recollection of the prompt and noble manner in which he had been relieved by the royal maid, tells her, that her worth adds splendor to her exalted race, and says, So may all powerful Jove restore me to my native land and delightful home, as I will there ever present my vows to thee, virgin by

* Odyssey, Book viii. p. 201,

whom I live! He said, and seated himself on a throne of state beside the king.

The bard was then introduced, who, as he passed, received the salutations of the throng, and was guided by the herald to a sculptured arch where he sat enthroned, encircled by the peers. The feast being served, Ulysses sends by a herald a delicious portion of food, as a pledge of love, to the master of the lyre, extolling his skill and inspiration as the gift of Phoebus, who had animated him with all his fires. The bard received with joy the meed of honor; and when the feast was ended, Ulysses urged him to strike again the lyre and sing the fall of imperial Troy.

The bard, full of the god, raised the lofty lay and sang in solemn strains the fall of Ilion and the victorious conflicts of the Spartan king and the stern Ulysses, amidst the horrors of the dreadful day, when the lofty walls and beauteous palaces of Priam's royal race were wrapt in flames and their glories buried in the dust; Ulysses was greatly moved. The desolated city rose to his imagination in awful grandeur; and he wept when he called to remembrance the mutability of fortune and the disasters of his own royal house.

Alcinous, again perceiving the deep affliction of his guest, commanded the bard to cease, and says, 'thy lay too deeply moves; and although we ourselves have enjoyed the noble strain, it is most seemly that all alike should be gratified and gay during the social night; thus our gifts of love, due to a distressed brother, may soothe his griefs to rest ere he departs.'