But him the blue-eyed goddess Minerva addressed in turn: "I will show thee then, O father stranger, the house which thou desirest me; since he dwells near my illustrious sire. But go thus in silence; and I will lead the way. Nor do thou look at, nor inquire of any man; for they do not easily tolerate strange men, nor loving one who comes from elsewhere, do they receive him in a friendly manner. Trusting in their swift ships, they pass over the mighty gulf, since Neptune has granted that to them; their ships are swift as a bird or a thought."[1]
Thus having spoken, Pallas Minerva quickly led the way; but he went immediately after the steps of the goddess. But the sea-famed Phæacians did not perceive him coming through the city amongst them: for fair-haired Minerva did not permit them, shrewd goddess, who indeed shed a divine cloud about him, counselling kind things in her mind. But Ulysses marvelled at the havens and the equal ships, and the forms of the heroes themselves, and the long walls, lofty, fitted with stakes, a wonder to behold. But when they came to the illustrious palace of the king, the blue-eyed goddess Minerva began to address him:[2]
"This then, O father stranger, is the house which thou badest me show thee; and thou wilt find the Jove-nurtured kings banqueting at a feast: but do thou go within, nor fear at all in thy mind; for a bold man is better in all affairs, even if he comes from some where else. First, indeed, thou wilt find the queen in the palace, and her surname is Arete: and she is from the same ancestors who gave birth to king Alcinous. Nausithoüs first earth-shaking Neptune begat, and Peribæa, in form the finest of women, youngest daughter of strong-hearted Eurymedon, who formerly reigned over the haughty giants: but he destroyed the impious people, and
- ↑ "Themistius, Or. 6, alludes to this passage, θᾶττον πτεροῦ καὶ νοήματος. And πτερὸν and νόημα are fitly joined, since πτερὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου λογισμὸς αὐτοῦ, Chrys. Hom. ii. περὶ τῶν Ἀνδρ." Duport, Gnom. Hom. p. 180, sq.
- ↑ I am still dissatisfied with τοῖσι.
the similar use of the word in other passages. So also Oppian. ii. 151. πάντη δ' ἔργα βοῶν. Virg. Georg. i. 325, "et pluvia ingenti sata læta boumque labores. Cf. Hesych. ἔργα, ποτὲ μὲν τὰ κατὰ τὴν γεωργίαν. It may however mean, "buildings," "structures." See Baehr. on Herodot. i. Introd. And this view is somewhat favoured by vs. 43, sqq, and Virg. Æn. i. 425, sqq.
