And when she reached her father's famous
palace, she stopped before the door-way, and round her stood her
brothers, men like immortals, who from the cart unyoked the mules and
carried the clothing in. The maid went to her chamber, where a fire was
kindled for her by an old Apeirean woman, the chamber-servant
Eurymedousa, whom long ago curved ships brought from Apeira; her they
had chosen from the rest to be the gift of honor for Alcinoues, because
he was the lord of all Phaeacians, and people listened to his voice as
if he were a god. She was the nurse of white-armed Nausicaae at the
palace, and she it was who kindled her the fire and in her room prepared
her supper.
And now Odysseus rose to go to the city; but Athene kindly drew thick
clouds around Odysseus, for fear some bold Phaeacian meeting him might
trouble him with talk and ask him who he was. And just as he was
entering the pleasant town, the goddess, clear-eyed Athene, came to meet
him, disguised as a young girl who bore a water-jar. She paused as she
drew near, and royal Odysseus asked:--
"My child, could you not guide me to the house of one Alcinoues, who is
ruler of this people? For I am a toil-worn stranger come from far, out
of a distant land. Therefore I know not one among the men who own this
city and this land."
Then said to him the goddess, clear-eyed Athene: "Yes, good old
stranger, I will show the house for which you ask, for it stands near my
gentle father's.
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