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The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury; Now First Collected and Edited by Sir William Molesworth, Bart., (London: Bohn, 1839-45). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Author: Homer
Translator: Thomas Hobbes
Editor: Sir William Molesworth

Part of: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes, 11 vols.

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LIB. VI.

Nausicaa going to a river near that place to wash the clothes of her father, mother, and brethren, while the clothes were drying played with her maids at ball, and Ulysses coming forth is fed and clothed and led to the house of her father, King Alcinous, where being received, the queen after supper taking notice of his garments, gave him occasion to relate his passage thither on the raft.

There slept Ulysses. But Athena went
Unto the people of Phœacia,
Who once dwelt near a nation insolent,
The great Cyclopses in Hyperia,
5And by the odds of strength were there oppress’d;

But by Nausithous transplanted were
To Scheria, that they might live at rest;
Who built them houses, and a city there,
And fortified the same with strong walls round,
10And temples built, and gave them shares of land.

But he departed was, and under ground,
And now Alcinous had the command.
His house it was the Goddess went unto,
And int’ a chamber gay, where lay a-bed
15A godlike maid asleep, with less ado

Than could a gentle wind have entered.
This the king’s daughter was, Nausicaa.
Within the door shut close, on each side one,
Two of her waiting-maids asleep she saw,
20And as the Graces fair to look upon.

Then standing at Nausicaa’s bed’s-head,
In form of Dymas’ daughter, there she stay’d,
Who of her age was, and most favoured,
And to Nausicaa she spake, and said:
25Careless Nausicaa, what do you mean,

When to your wedding-day you are so near,
To let so many garments lie unclean?
You would be glad yourself fair clothes to wear,
And give to them that are to lead you out.
30For e’en such things as these procure good fame

Amongst the people that dwell round about;
Your parents also take joy in the same.
Come therefore, to the river let’s be gone
By break of day; for I will with you go

Ulysses fed and clothed by Nausicaa, &c.

35And help that you the sooner may have done.

I’m sure your wedding is not far off now,
For sought you are in marriage by the best
Of all the town where you were born and bred.
Go early to your father and request
40You may with mules and coach be furnished,

That aprons, gowns, and mantles you may bear
Unto the washing-place, for far ’tis to’t,
And for your person so ’tis comelier
Than to be seen to go so far on foot.
45This said, the Goddess up to heaven went,

Where is the dwelling of the Gods in bliss;
A pure and undecaying firmament
Which by no wind moved or shaken is,
Nor wet nor slabber’d is with show’r of rain,
50Nor clouded, nor approach’d unto by snow;

But bright and shining always doth remain.
Here dwell th’ immortals, and no sorrow know.
Thither went Pallas. Then Nausicaa
Awak’d, and through the house went to relate
55Unto her parents what a dream she saw.

Her mother by the fire-side spinning sate
With distaff laden with fine purple wool.
Her father going out, she met i’ th’ hall,
Call’d by the lords sitting in council full,
60And waiting for him to consult withal.

And to him said: Pray, father, shall not I
Allowed be a coach your clothes to bear
(Which in the house sullied and spotted lie)
Unto the river side to wash them there;
65For you yourself when you to council go

Would gladly have your garments clean and sweet.
Your five sons, whereof two be wedded now,
Would fain with clean clothes at the dancings meet.
So said Nausicaa. But to her father
70To talk of wedding she forbore for shame,

Yet what she thought on he could eas’ly gather,
However she dissembled had the same.
Dear child, then said her father, you shall have
Both mules and coach with handsome covering.
75Unto his servants then command he gave

To see it done. And out the coach they bring,
And to it set the mules. Then came her mother,
And laid in things to eat, of relish fine,
And such as eaten are with bread, much other;
80And in a bag of goat-skin pleasant wine.

When in the coach the garments all were plac’d,
Nausicaa went up into her seat,
And with her took (when their toil should be past)
A cruse of oil to help wash off the sweat.
85Then out, with whip and reins in hand, did drive.

And then, with strained limbs and clatt’ring feet,
The mules soon at the river side arrive,
And pasture for them there was very sweet.
And there the mules first they unharnessed,
90Then push’d them off to graze on the bank-side.

The clothes, in pits with water covered,
They tread, and who shall fastest tread they vied.
Then on the beach the garments wet they spread
Upon the cast up pebbles one by one.
95Then washed they, and dried themselves, and fed,

And left the garments drying in the sun.
And after they with food were satisfied,
It came into their minds to play at ball,
And spend the time so till the clothes were dried.
100The tune Nausicaa sung for them all.

As when upon Mount Erymanthus high
Or on Täygetus stands Artemis,
And many rural fair nymphs playing by.
But she than all the rest much taller is;
105And the wild boars and harts delights to see,

But more her mother Leda to see her,
For though they fair were all, yet fairer she;
So shew’d Nausicaa and her maidens there.
And when ’twas time that they should homewards go,
110And that the clothes into the coach were laid,

And mules set to, Athena thought on how
Ulysses should awake and see the maid,
And be conducted by her to the town.
Nausicaa then throws the ball and misses,
115The ball into the river falleth down;

Then shout the maids. At that awak’d Ulysses,
And sitting up, unto himself he said,
Ay me, where am I now? ’Mongst men unjust,
And such as of the Gods are not afraid?
120Or good and godly men, whom I may trust?

But female are the voices which I hear.
Are they some nymphs that haunt the mountains high,
Or keep the meadows green, or waters clear,
Or are they mortals whom I am so nigh?
125But why go I not out myself and see?

Then with strong hand he wringed off a bough
With many leaves upon it from a tree,
To cover what became him not to show;
Then as a lion, confident and bold,
130Howe’er it blow or rain, with fiery eyes

Comes from the mountain to a herd or fold,
And on the flock at last his fortune tries;
So came Ulysses boldly from the wood
Stark naked, forc’d to’t by necessity,
135And in the presence of the maidens stood.

The sight was terrible and made them fly;
Nausicaa fled not, but hid her eyes.
Off stood Ulysses, with himself to weigh
Whether to speak from thence was the more wise,
140Or else himself before her feet to lay.

To stay there right at last resolved he,
Lest she should take his coming near her ill:
Then said, O queen, I beg upon my knee
That you with patience hear my prayer will.
145You are a Goddess, or of human race;

If Goddess, you can then no other be
Than Artemis, Jove’s daughter. In your face
Such beauty is; in height such majesty.
If mortal, and of human race you be,
150Thrice happy are your parents and your brothers,

How glad in the processions they will see,
How much they are more grac’d by you than others;
For such a branch I ne’er saw with my eyes
On mortal stock. To see’t I am amazed.
155But once a palm at Delus saw arise

In the same manner, and long on it gazed
(For that way went I once well followed,
Which the first cause was of my trouble sore);
And then, as I do now, I wondered,
160For I had never seen the like before.

T’ approach unto your knees I was afraid,
Or show myself. But such is my estate.
For twenty days upon the sea I stray’d,
And here in storms was thrown ashore by fate
165From th’ isle Ogygia last night, and fear

I am to suffer yet more misery,
And that the Gods will persecute me here.
And since my landing you the first I see;
Now pity me, O queen, and show me where
170The city stands. And t’ hide my nakedness,

Give me some rag if there be any here;
And may Jove you with all you wish for bless,
A husband and a house, and concord good;
For man and wife to live in unity
175Is the great’st blessing can be understood:

It joys your friend, and grieves your enemy.
Nausicaa then speaks, and to him says,
You seem to be a good man and discreet,
But Jove on good and bad such fortune lays,
180Happy or otherwise, as he thinks meet;

And since distress is fallen to your share,
You must contented be to suffer it.
But seeing to this place arriv’d you are,
You shall have raiment, and what else is fit.
185The city I will shew you, and the name

The people of this isle are called by;
Phœacians they are call’d. And I am
Daughter of him that has th’ authority,
Alcinous, the king. And then she cried
190Aloud unto the maids to make them stay;

Why, said she, run you so away and hide?
D’ ye think the man will carry you away?
For why, no enemy can come in hither,
The Gods so with the sea have wall’d us in.
195Nor stranger dwells here. But by evil weather

To come to land this man hath forced been;
Let’s do him good. From Jove come beggars all,
And welcome to them is whate’er they get;
Our givings to him will be very small.
200Go, therefore, set before him wine and meat,

And wash him in the river, in such part
As cover’d is from wind. And then they did
(When they had given one another heart)
Set him in such a place as they were bid;
205And gave him th’ oil to scour his skin withal.

And by him a good cloak and coat they laid,
And then they bade him to his washing fall.
Ulysses answer’d them, and to them said,
Stand further off, I pray, fair maids; for I
210My body naked am asham’d to show.

Then stand they off, and tell their mistress why,
(For washing he must have put off his bough.)
Then washed he his head and shoulders wide,
And with his hand from’s head strok’d down the brine,
215And with the clothes that laid were by his side

Array’d himself, that comely were and fine.
Then Pallas to him came, and made him look
Taller and broader than he was before;
And from his hair the colour grey she took,
220And made it like the hyacynthine flower.

As one by Vulcan or Athena taught,
Gold upon silver skilfully had spread;
So Pallas on Ulysses beauty wrought,
And graceful majesty upon his head;
225Then sat he on the sands. Nausicaa

Then said unto her maidens, Do you hear,
How poor he look’d the first time we him saw,
And now how like a God he does appear;
And by the Gods, it may be, he was sent,
230To dwell amongst the people of this place.

With such a husband I could be content
(If he would stay) and think it no disgrace;
Go, maids, and set before him wine and meat.
Away they went and did as she them bade;
235(And he fell to, and heartily did eat,

For long before he nothing eaten had);
Then harnessed the mules and set them to,
And folded and put up the garments all.
Nausicaa went up with maidens two,
240And then unto Ulysses did she call,

Rise, stranger, to the city let us go,
That I may send you to my father’s house,
Where all the best Phœacians you’ll know;
But hear you (for I think you cautelous),
245Whilst in the fields the coach is on the way,

Amongst my maidens follow it apace,
But when you see it near the city, stay;
And that you may well understand the place,
A tower there is, you’ll see it, for ’tis high:
250There, ’twixt two havens is a narrow way,

You’ll see it by the masts, for ships there lie;
Near it the people meet o’ th’ market-day,
And there a temple fair of Neptune stands,
Of free-stone from the quarry hewn and fit;
255For the Phœacians employ their hands

On shipping, and no other art but it.
For bows and arrows they care not a pin,
But for such things as serve to pass the seas,
Ships, cordage, oars, they take their pleasure in,
260And spend their time and labour upon these.

I am afraid these men will censure me,
And say (for censurers are many here),
This handsome and tall fellow who is he,
That’s with Nausicaa, from God knows where?
265Where did she find him; must he marry her?

From some far country he is landed here,
Wand’ring by fortune, or a traveller;
For sure I am no such man dwelleth near.
May be some God from heaven descended is,
270And to live with her always hither come,

So, then to wed a stranger better ’tis,
Since she thinks none is good enough at home;
For many seek her, and the best men here.
So will they say, and ’twill be to my shame;
275For if another that had done it ’twere,

I should myself condemn her for the same;
For ’tis unseemly a fair maid to see,
That subject is t’her parents’ government,
Converse with any man, unless she be
280First married, or their parents give consent.

And, therefore, stranger, if you mean to be
Convoyed by my father to your home,
Do as I tell you. Near the way you’ll see
A grove of poplars. When you thither come
285You’ll find my father’s vineyard, from the town

As far as one that hollas heard can be,
And when you thither come, there sit you down
Till at my father’s house you think are we.
Then to the city go; ask where does dwell
290Alcinous. For you shall meet with none,

Though but a child, but can inform you well;
So well his house is known to every one.
And there go in, and on, until you find
My mother. Whom you’ll by the fire-side see
295Spinning; and maids at the same work behind

The pillar under which sits working she.
My father’s chair by the same pillar stands,
Where, when he drinketh, like a God he is.
Pass by it to my mother, and your hands,
300If you mean to get home, lay on her knees.

If once her favour you can but obtain,
You need not fear, but you your friends shall see,
And to your house and country come again.
This said, her whip upon the mules laid she.
305The mules start swiftly from the river side,

For nimble was the motion of their feet:
But she for those who went afoot, did guide
The swiftness of their pace as she thought meet.
When they were come t’ Athena’s sacred grove,
310The sun went down; and there Ulysses staid

And to the Goddess, daughter of great Jove,
That he might good reception find, he pray’d.
Hear me, Jove’s virgin daughter, hear me now,
Since still you did refuse to help me then,
315When Neptune sought at sea my overthrow,

Grant that I may be welcome to these men.
Thus pray’d he, and was by Athena heard,
Though to him face to face she would not come,
But of her uncle Neptune was afeard,
320That ne’er forgave him till he was at home.

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LIB. VI. - Homer, The English Works, vol. X (Iliad and Odyssey) [1839]

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Part of: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes, 11 vols.

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LIB. VI.