THE SIXTH BOOK OF HOMER'S ODYSSEYS. THE ARGUMENT.

MINERVA in a vision stands Before Nausicaa; and commands She to the flood her weeds should bear, For now her nuptial day was near. Nausicaa her charge obeys, And then with other virgins plays. Their sports make wak'd Ulysses rise, Walk to them, and beseech supplies Of food and clothes. His naked sight Puts th' other maids, afraid, to flight; Nausicaa only boldly stays, And gladly his desire obeys. He, furnished with her favours shown, Attends her and the rest to town.

ANOTHER ARGUMENT.

.... Here olive leaves T' hide shame began. The maid receives The naked man.

HE much-sustaining, patient, heavenly man,

Whom Toil and Sleep had worn so weak and wan, Thus won his rest. In mean space Pallas went To the Phaeacian city, and descent That first did broad Hyperia's lands divide, Near the vast Cyclops, men of monstrous pride, That prey'd on those Hyperians, since they were Of greater power; and therefore longer there Divine Nausithous dwelt not, but arose, And did for Scheria all his powers dispose, Far from ingenious art-inventing men; But there did he erect a city then, First drew a wall round, then he houses builds, And then a temple to the Gods, the fields Lastly dividing. But he, stoop'd by Fate, Div'd to th' infernals; and Alcinous sate In his command, a man the Gods did teach Commanding counsels. His house held the reach Of grey Minerva's project, to provide That great-soul'd Ithacus might be supplied With all things fitting his return. She went Up to the chamber, where the fair descent Of great Alcinous slept; a maid, whose parts In wit and beauty wore divine deserts. Well deck'd her chamber was; of which the door Did seem to lighten, such a gloss it bore Betwixt the posts, and now flew ope to find The Goddess entry. Like a puft of wind She reach'd the virgin bed; near which there lay Two maids, to whom the Graces did convey Figure and manners. But above the head Of bright Nausicaa did Pallas tread The subtle air, and put the person on Of Dymas' daughter, from comparison Exempt in business naval. Like his seed Minerva look'd now; whom one year did breed With bright Nausicaa, and who had gain'd Grace in her love, yet on her thus complain'd: "Nausicaa! Why bred thy mother one So negligent in rites so stood upon By other virgins? Thy fair garments lie Neglected by thee, yet thy nuptials nigh; When rich in all attire both thou shouldst be, And garments give to others honouring thee, That lead thee to the temple. Thy good name Grows amongst men for these things; they inflame Father and reverend mother with delight. Come, when the Day takes any wink from Night, Let's to the river, and repurify Thy wedding garments. My society Shall freely serve thee for thy speedier aid, Because thou shalt no more stand on the maid. The best of all Phaeacia woo thy grace, Where thou wert bred, and owest thyself a race. Up, and stir up to thee thy honour'd sire, To give thee mules and coach, thee and thy tire, Veils, girdles, mantles, early to the flood, To bear in state. It suits thy high-born blood, And far more fits thee, than to foot so far, For far from town thou knowst the bath-founts are." This said, away blue-eyed Minerva went Up to Olympus, the firm continent That bears in endless being the Deified kind, That's neither soused with showers, nor shook with wind, Nor chill'd with snow, but where Serenity flies Exempt from clouds, and ever-beamy skies Circle the glittering hill, and all their days Give the delights of blessed Deity praise. And hither Pallas flew, and left the maid, When she had all that might excite her said. Straight rose the lovely Morn, that up did raise Fair-veil'd Nausicaa, whose dream her praise To admiration took; who no time spent To give the rapture of her vision vent To her lov'd parents, whom she found within. Her mother set at fire, who had to spin A rock, whose tincture with sea-purple shin'd; Her maids about her. But she chanced to find Her father going abroad, to council call'd By his grave Senate. And to him exhaled Her smother'd bosom was: "Lov'd sire," said she, "Will you not now command a coach for me, Stately and complete, fit for me to bear To wash at flood the weeds I cannot wear Before repurified? Yourself it fits To wear fair weeds, as every man that sits In place of council. And five sons you have, Two wed, three bachelors, that must be brave In every day's shift, that they may go dance; For these three last with these things