αὐτίκα δ᾽ Ἠὼς ἦλθεν ἐύθρονος, ἥ μιν ἔγειρε

Ναυσικάαν ἐύπεπλον· ἄφαρ δ᾽ ἀπεθαύμασ᾽ ὄνειρον,

βῆ δ᾽ ἰέναι διὰ δώμαθ᾽, ἵν᾽ ἀγγείλειε τοκεῦσιν,50

πατρὶ φίλῳ καὶ μητρί· κιχήσατο δ᾽ ἔνδον ἐόντας:

ἡ μὲν ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάρῃ ἧστο σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶν

ἠλάκατα στρωφῶσ᾽ ἁλιπόρφυρα· τῷ δὲ θύραζε

ἐρχομένῳ ξύμβλητο μετὰ κλειτοὺς βασιλῆας

ἐς βουλήν, ἵνα μιν κάλεον Φαίηκες ἀγαυοί.55

ἡ δὲ μάλ᾽ ἄγχι στᾶσα φίλον πατέρα προσέειπε·

"πάππα φίλ᾽, οὐκ ἂν δή μοι ἐφοπλίσσειας ἀπήνην

ὑψηλὴν ἐύκυκλον, ἵνα κλυτὰ εἵματ᾽ ἄγωμαι

ἐς ποταμὸν πλυνέουσα, τά μοι ῥερυπωμένα κεῖται;

καὶ δὲ σοὶ αὐτῷ ἔοικε μετὰ πρώτοισιν ἐόντα60

βουλὰς βουλεύειν καθαρὰ χροΐ εἵματ᾽ ἔχοντα.

πέντε δέ τοι φίλοι υἷες ἐνὶ μεγάροις γεγάασιν,

οἱ δύ᾽ ὀπυίοντες, τρεῖς δ᾽ ἠίθεοι θαλέθοντες·

οἱ δ᾽ αἰεὶ ἐθέλουσι νεόπλυτα εἵματ᾽ ἔχοντες

ἐς χορὸν ἔρχεσθαι· τὰ δ᾽ ἐμῇ φρενὶ πάντα μέμηλεν."65

ὣς ἔφατ᾽· αἴδετο γὰρ θαλερὸν γάμον ἐξονομῆναι

πατρὶ φίλῳ. ὁ δὲ πάντα νόει καὶ ἀμείβετο μύθῳ·

"οὔτε τοι ἡμιόνων φθονέω, τέκος, οὔτε τευ ἄλλου.

ἔρχευ· ἀτάρ τοι δμῶες ἐφοπλίσσουσιν ἀπήνην

ὑψηλὴν ἐύκυκλον, ὑπερτερίῃ ἀραρυῖαν."70

ὣς εἰπὼν δμώεσσιν ἐκέκλετο, τοὶ δ᾽ ἐπίθοντο.

οἱ μὲν ἄρ᾽ ἐκτὸς ἄμαξαν ἐύτροχον ἡμιονείην

ὥπλεον, ἡμιόνους θ᾽ ὕπαγον ζεῦξάν θ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ἀπήνῃ·

κούρη δ᾽ ἐκ θαλάμοιο φέρεν ἐσθῆτα φαεινήν.

καὶ τὴν μὲν κατέθηκεν ἐυξέστῳ ἐπ᾽ ἀπήνῃ,75

μήτηρ δ᾽ ἐν κίστῃ ἐτίθει μενοεικέ᾽ ἐδωδὴν

παντοίην, ἐν δ᾽ ὄψα τίθει, ἐν δ᾽ οἶνον ἔχευεν

ἀσκῷ ἐν αἰγείῳ· κούρη δ᾽ ἐπεβήσετ᾽ ἀπήνης.

δῶκεν δὲ χρυσέῃ ἐν ληκύθῳ ὑγρὸν ἔλαιον,

ἧος χυτλώσαιτο σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξίν.80

ἡ δ᾽ ἔλαβεν μάστιγα καὶ ἡνία σιγαλόεντα,

μάστιξεν δ᾽ ἐλάαν· καναχὴ δ᾽ ἦν ἡμιόνοιιν.

αἱ δ᾽ ἄμοτον τανύοντο, φέρον δ᾽ ἐσθῆτα καὶ αὐτήν,

οὐκ οἴην, ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι κίον ἄλλαι.

    Nausicaa asks her father for a cart and mules so she can take her laundry to the shore, where she and her attendants will wash it.

    As befits a princess, Nausicaa is “awakened” by the dawn, as if the goddess were another of her handmaidens. The portrait of the royal family that follows presents an ideal household. Nausicaa finds the queen spinning wool by the hearth, surrounded by servants, and meets her father as he is on his way out the door, leading the local lords to assembly.

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    The charming exchange that follows continues the theme of happy domesticity. The young princess stands up close to her father—we imagine her gazing up and perhaps batting her eyelashes—and asks to use the special wagon with the high seat so she can go to the springs with the laundry make sure that he and her four brothers can all have clean clothes for official meetings and social occasions. She is, we are told, embarrassed to admit that, presumably acting on the impulses that Athena has stirred, she is also thinking of the clothes she might need for her own marriage. Alkinous, not always the model of tact during Odysseus’s visit, is so here, pretending not to know what is on Nausicaa’s mind. Of course, she can have the wagon or whatever else she wants. He will deny her nothing.

    Preparations ensue, as servants yoke the mules to the “well-polished” wagon, Nausicaa fetches the clothing, “shining” though in need of washing, and her mother brings supplies for a splendid picnic, food, wine, and olive oil in a golden flask for the girls to anoint themselves with after bathing. When Nausicaa climbs up and flicks the whip, the mules take off eagerly. The poet adds one more verse:

    οὐκ οἴην, ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι κίον ἄλλαι.

    (She traveled) not alone, but some handmaidens went with her.

    Odyssey 6.84

    We might think that this detail is unnecessary, since we would hardly suppose that a royal princess would handle laundry duty by herself. But here again Homer summons his traditional style to economical effect. This verse reinvokes the “accompaniment” motif we have seen in the first scene outside Nausicaa’s bedroom. The young princess is not heading into the countryside without the proper emblems of her virginity. Even the wagon she rides in plays a role in the motif. The notion of “high up,” which both Nausicaa and her father associate with this particular vehicle (58, 70), has a special meaning here. The women’s quarters in a Greek household would usually be upstairs, a private refuge away from the prying eyes of strangers. Penelope’s first appearance in the poem marshals these symbols:

    τοῦ δ᾽ ὑπερωιόθεν φρεσὶ σύνθετο θέσπιν ἀοιδὴν
    κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρων Πηνελόπεια:
    κλίμακα δ᾽ ὑψηλὴν κατεβήσετο οἷο δόμοιο,
    οὐκ οἴη, ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι δύ᾽ ἕποντο.

    The daughter of Ikarios, discreet Penelope,
    heard the wonderous song from upstairs.
    She came down the high staircase of the house,
    not alone, but two handmaidens followed her.

    Odyssey 1.328–31

    The queen will descend again from her chambers for a crucial encounter with the suitors, during which her marital status is very much at issue, after Odysseus arrives home disguised as a beggar:

    ὣς φαμένη κατέβαιν᾽ ὑπερώϊα σιγαλόεντα,
    οὐκ οἴη: ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι δύ᾽ ἕποντο.

    So she spoke, and came down from her shining bedroom upstairs,
    not alone, but two handmaidens followed her.

    Odyssey 18.206–7

    Nausicaa’s virginity is guarded not only in her bedroom but even in the family wagon, which keeps her “high up,” intact and away from any threats along the way.

    Odysseus is about to meet this young princess, and Homer has been busy making sure we understand who she is and what role she might play in the hero’s future. She has beauty and stature like the immortals and is guarded by women who themselves have beauty “from the Graces” (18). Gold and shiny things surround her, in her clothes, the doors to her bedroom, the flask that carries her olive oil, even the reins of the mules. She is precious, a lovely ornament to her family, guarded at all times. Such a pampered existence might make a person haughty, but not in this case. Ready to share in the picnic preparations and laundry duties, she mingles happily with her ἀμφίπολοι. “Daddy’s girl,” to be sure, but not completely spoiled.

    And for Odysseus, extremely dangerous. In the wider perspective of the poem’s narrative form, Calypso and Nausicaa, so seemingly different, are interchangeable, detaining women who would keep the hero from reaching Ithaka and so bringing the story to its appropriate conclusion. The restoration of Odysseus to his proper role as king, husband, father, and son is the goal towards which the Odyssey propels us. Certain imperatives accompany this kind of story, and we must accept them if the form is going to make sense. Any collateral damage that Odysseus causes on his way home must be considered less important than his getting there. The suitors might well seem to be relatively normal and healthy young men. The maids, who the suitors sexually exploited, also engender sympathy, given their powerless situation. But no, they all must die. So too, no qualms should accompany the manipulation of a delightful young princess who wants the hero for a husband.

    These outcomes are part of the poem’s ruthless logic, however uncomfortable they may make us feel. For this reason, it is even more remarkable how sympathetic Homer makes both Calypso and Nausicaa, how delicately he depicts the hero’s relationship with each. Only a great storyteller could take such a risk and pull it off. As the encounter between Odysseus and Nausicaa unfolds, we will see that the poet continues to use his traditional style to keep us fully engaged in the hero’s present struggles while at the same time preparing the way for the final scenes between the royal couple in Ithaka.

     

    Further Reading

    Dimock, G. 1989. The Unity of the Odyssey, 78–80. Amherst. The University of Massachusetts Press.

    Van Nortwick, T. 2008. The Unknown Odysseus: Alternate Worlds in Homer’s Odyssey, 26–27. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

     

    49  Ναυσικάαν ἐύπεπλον: in apposition to μιν.

    50  βῆ δ᾽ ἴμεν: “she set out to go.” ἴμεν: infin. > εἶμι. This formulation (ingressive aor. > βαίνω + infinitive of purpose > εἶμι) appears 50 times in Homer.

    50  ἵν᾽ ἀγγείλειε …: purpose clause with optative in secondary sequence.

    51  ἐόντας: understand a pronoun, “them,” agreeing with the participle.

    52  ἡ μὲν: i.e., Nausicaa’s mother, followed by τῷ δὲ, referring to Nausicaa’s father, in line 53.

    52  ἧστο: 3rd sing. impf. mid. indic. > ἥμαι.

    53  τῷ δὲ … / ἐρχομένῳ: dative object of ξύμβλητο.

    54  ξύμβλητο: = συνέβλητο, 3rd sing. aor. mid. indic. > συμβάλλω.

    55  ἵνα: “where.”

    55  κάλεον: unaugmented 3rd pl. impf. act. indic. > καλέω.

    56  ἡ δὲ: i.e., Nausicaa.

    57  οὐκ: “won’t you …?” Introduces a question which expects “yes” as an answer (Smyth 2651, see also Monro 300.β for οὐκ with the optative).

    57  ἂν … ἐφοπλίσσειας: potential optative in a question (Smyth 1831). Monro says that a question with the optative and ἄν yields a “form of polite imperative” (Monro 300.β).

    58  ἵνα … ἄγωμαι: purpose clause.

    59  πλυνέουσα: fem. nom. sing. fut. act. ptc., expressing purpose (Smyth 2065). Echoing πλυνέουσαι in line 31.

    59  ῥερυπωμένα: neut. nom. pl. pf. pass. ptc. > ῥυπόομαι; predicate nominative.

    59  κεῖται: singular verb with neuter plural subject τά.

    60  σοὶ αὐτῷ ἔοικε … ἐόντα/ … βουλεύειν: “it is seemly for you … when you are … to take counsel.” ἔοικα can take both a dative and an accusative and infinitive construction (LSJ ἔοικα III). ἐόντι (and ἔχοντι) might be expected, agreeing with σοὶ, but here the case is attracted to the accusative of the accusative and infinitive construction (Smyth 1062).

    60  πρώτοισιν: “the highest ranking men,” substantive (Cunlife πρῶτος 4.c).

    63  ὀπυίοντες: “married,” masc. nom. pl. ptc. > ὀπυίω.

    65  μέμηλεν: 3rd sing. pf. act. indic. > μέλω.

    66  αἴδετο: unaugmented impf. Out of modesty (rather than “shame”) Nausicaa doesn’t bring up her marriage.

    67  νόει: unaugmented impf.

    68  τευ: gen. sing. > τι, indefinite pronoun.

    70  ὑπερτερίῃ: the meaning of this word is unclear. Stanford says: “literally an ‘upper part,’ probably an awning or hood, possibly the body of the car, which may have been detachable from the axles and wheels, or else a box for luggage like the πείρινς in 15.131.” Cunliffe takes it in this latter sense, Autenrieth takes it as a covering or hood, and Brill takes it as a rim around the carriage.

    71  ἐκέκλετο: 3rd sing. reduplicated aor. 2 mid. indic. > κέλομαι, + dat.

    73  ζεῦξάν: unaugmented 3rd pl. aor. act. indic. > ζεύγνυμι.

    75  τὴν: i.e., the clothing (ἐσθῆτα).

    77  ἐν … τίθει: "loaded," "placed in," unaugmented impf., tmesis > ἐντίθημι.

    77  ἐν … ἔχευεν: "poured (into)," tmesis > ἐγχέω.

    78  ἀπήνης: genitive object of ἐπεβήσετ(ο).

    80  ἧος: “in order that,” “so that,” + opt. (Cunliffe ἧος 5).

    81  ἡ δ᾽: i.e., Nausicaa.

    82  μάστιξεν: unaugmented 3rd sing. aor. act. indic. Understand τοὺς ἡμιόνους (“the mules”) as the object.

    82  ἐλάαν: “to drive (them),” pres. act. infin. > ἐλαύνω. Infinitive of purpose.

    82  ἡμιόνοιιν: fem. gen. dual.

    83  αἱ δ᾽: i.e., the mules.

    83  τανύοντο: “strained,” unaugmented 3rd pl. impf. pass. > τανύω (LSJ τανύω I.2).

    83  αὐτήν: i.e., Nausicaa.

    84  κίον: unaugmented 3rd pl. impf. act. indic. > κίω.

    ἠώς ἠοῦς ἡ: dawn; Dawn

    εὔθρονος –ον: with beautiful throne

    μιν: (accusative singular third person pronoun) him, her, it; himself, herself, itself

    ἐγείρω ἐγερῶ ἤγειρα ἐγρήγορα ––– ἠγέρθην: rouse, stir up

    Ναυσικάα –ας ἡ: Nausicaa, the Phaeacian princess, daughter of Alcinous and Arēte

    εὔπεπλος –ον: beautifully robed

    ἄφαρ: straightway, forthwith, at once, quickly, presently

    ἀποθαυμάζω (Ion. ἀποθωυμάζω or ἀποθωμάζω): marvel much at a thing

    ὄνειρος –ου ὁ or ὄνειρον –ου τό: a dream

    δῶμα –ατος τό: house (often in plural) 50

    τοκεύς –έως ὁ: parent

    κιχάνω κιχήσομαι ἔκιχον: to reach, overtake, meet with (+ acc.)

    ἔνδον: within, inside, at home

    ἐσχάρα –ας ἡ: the hearth, fire-place

    ἧμαι (or κάθημαι) ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: sit

    ἀμφίπολος –ου ἡ: female attendant, handmaid

    ἠλάκατα –ων τά: the wool on the distaff

    στρωφάω – – – – –: to turn constantly

    ἁλιπόρφυρος –ον: of sea-purple, of true purple dye

    θύραζε: out to the door, out of the door; out of

    συμβάλλω συμβαλῶ συμέβαλον συμβέβληκα συμβέβλημαι συμεβλήθην: throw together, meet, unite

    κλειτός –ή –όν: renowned, famous (cp κλεινός)

    μιν: (accusative singular third person pronoun) him, her, it; himself, herself, itself 55

    Φαίαξ –ακος ὁ: a Phaeacian

    ἀγαυός –ή –όν: illustrious, noble

    ἄγχι: near

    προσεῖπον (aor. 2 of προσαγορεύω and προσφωνέω); Εp. προσέειπον: to speak to one, address, accost

    πάππας ὁ: papa

    ἐφοπλίζω ἐφοπλιοῦμαι/ἐφοπλίσομαι ἐφώπλισα ἐφώπλικα ἐφώπλισμαι ἐφωπλίσθην: to equip, get ready, prepare

    ἀπήνη –ης ἡ: a four-wheeled wagon

    ὑψηλός –ή –όν: high, lofty, high-hearted

    εὔκυκλος –ον: round; having lovely wheels

    κλuτός –ή –όν: illustrious, glorious

    εἷμα –ατος τό: clothing

    πλύνω πλυνῶ ἔπλυνα πέπλυκα πέπλυμαι ἐπλύθην/ἐπλύνθην: to wash, clean

    ῥυπόομαι ῥυπώσομαι ἐρρύπωμαι : to be dirty or filthy

    καθαρός –ά –όν: clear of dirt, clean, spotless, unsoiled 60

    χρώς χρωτός ὁ: the surface of the body, the skin

    εἷμα –ατος τό: clothing

    μέγαρον –ου τό: a large room, hall, feast-hall

    ὀπυίω ὀπύσω ὤπυσα: to marry, wed, take to wife

    ἠίθεος –ους τό: (unmarried) youth

    θαλέθω/θάλλω θαλῶ ἔθηλα/ἔθαλον τέθηλα: to bloom, flourish; in the prime of youth

    νεόπλυτος –ον: newly washed

    χορός –οῦ ὁ: dance, chorus; dancing place

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: diaphragm; heart, mind, wits

    μέλω μέλησω ἐμέλησα μεμέληκα ––– –––: be an object of care or interest

    αἰδέομαι αἰδέσομαι ᾐδεσάμην –––– ᾔδεσμαι ᾐδέσθην: to feel embarrassed, blush; to respect, revere, honor

    θαλερός –ά –όν: blooming, fresh

    γάμος –ου ὁ: marriage, wedding

    ἐξονομαίνω ἐξονομανῶ ἐξωνομηνάμην: to name, speak of by name

    νοέω νοοῦμαι ––– ––– ––– –––: perceive, observe, think

    ἀμείβω ἀμείψω ἤμειψα ἤμειφα ἤμειμμαι ἠμείφθην: to respond, answer; to exchange; (mid.) to take turns, alternate; to change, place, pass

    μῦθος –ου ὁ: spoken thing, speech, plan, story

    ἠμίονος –ου ὁ: mule

    φθονέω φθονήσω ἐφθόνησα ––– ἐφθόνημαι ἐφθονήθην: to begrudge; to be reluctant (+ infin.)

    τέκος –ους τό: child

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet, consequently

    δμώς –ωός ὁ: an enslaved person, especially one taken in war

    ἐφοπλίζω ἐφοπλιοῦμαι/ἐφοπλίσομαι ἐφώπλισα ἐφώπλικα ἐφώπλισμαι ἐφωπλίσθην: to equip, get ready, prepare

    ἀπήνη –ης ἡ: a four-wheeled wagon

    ὑψηλός –ή –όν: high, lofty, high-hearted

    εὔκυκλος –ον: round; having lovely wheels

    ὑπερτερία –ας ἡ: the upper part of a wagon

    ἀραρίσκω/ἄρω ἄρσω ἦρσα ἄραρα/ἄρηρα ἀρήρεμαι ἤρθην: fit on or together, join, fit with 70

    δμώς -ωός ὁ: an enslaved person, especially one taken in war 

    κέλομαι κελήσομαι ἐκελησάμην ἐκεκλόμην: command, urge on, exhort, call to

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    ἐκτός: without, outside

    ἄμαξα –ης ἡ: wagon, cart

    εὔτροχος –ον: well-wheeled

    ἡμιόνειος –α –ον: drawn by mules

    ὁπλέω ὁπλήσω ὥπλισα – ὥπλισμαι ὡπλίσθην: to make ready

    ἠμίονος –ου ὁ: mule

    ὑπάγω ὑπάξω ὑπῆξα/ὑπήγαγον ὑπῆχα ὑπῆγμαι ὑπήχθην: to lead (under)

    ζεύγνυμι ζεύξω ἔζευξα ἔζευγμαι ἐζεύχθην/ἐζύγην: to yoke

    ἀπήνη –ης ἡ: a four-wheeled wagon

    κόρη (or κούρη) –ης ἡ: girl, maiden; daughter

    θάλαμος or θάλᾶμος –ου ὁ: chamber, inner part of the house (usually reserved for women); bedchamber (of the mistress of the house); nuptial chamber

    ἐσθής –ῆτος ἡ: dress, clothing

    φαεινός –ή –όν: bright, brilliant, radiant

    κατατίθημι καταθήσω κατέθηκα κατατέθηκα κατατέθην: put down; (mid.) lay aside, store up 75

    εὔξεστος [–η] –ον: well-planed, well-polished

    κίστη –ης ἡ: a box, chest

    μενοεικής –ές: pleasing, splendid, lavish

    ἐδωδή –ῆς ἡ: food, meat

    παντοῖος –α –ον: of all sorts

    ὄψον –ου τό: cooked meat

    οἶνος –ου ὁ: wine

    χέω χέω ἔχεα or ἔχευα κέχυκα κέχυμαι ἐχύθην: to pour, shed

    ἀσκός –οῦ ὁ: a wine-skin; leather purse

    αἴγειος –α –ον: of a goat

    ἐπιβαίνω ἐπιβήσομαι ἐπέβην ἐπιβέβηκα ––– –––: to go on, enter, step up, mount, board (a ship) + gen.

    χρύσεος –η –ον: golden, gold-inlaid

    λήκυθος –ου ἡ: an oil-flask, oil-bottle

    ὑγρός –ά –όν: wet, moist, running, fluid

    ἔλαιον –ου τό: olive-oil

    χυτλόω χυτλώσω ἐχύτλωσα: to wash 80

    ἀμφίπολος –ου ἡ: female attendant, handmaid

    μάστιξ –ιγος ἡ: a whip, scourge

    ἡνία (ἁνία) –ων τά or ἡνία (ἁνία) ἡ: reins, bridle

    σιγαλόεις –εσσα –εν: glossy, glittering, shining, splendid

    μαστίζω μαστίξω ἐμάστιξα – – ἐμαστίχθην: to whip, flog

    καναχή –ῆς ἡ: a sharp sound

    ἠμίονος –ου ὁ: mule

    ἄμοτον: insatiably, incessantly, eagerly

    τανύω τανύσω ἐτάνυσα – τετάνυσμαι ἐτανύσθην: to stretch, extend, lie (in a geographical sense); to set up; to strain

    ἐσθής –ῆτος ἡ: dress, clothing

    οἶος–α –ον: alone

    ἀμφίπολος –ου ἡ: female attendant, handmaid

    κίω – – – – –: go, go away

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    Suggested Citation

    Thomas Van Nortwick and Rob Hardy, Homer: Odyssey 5–12. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2024. ISBN: 978-1-947822-17-7 https://dcc.dickinson.edu/homer-odyssey/vi-48-84