While Odysseus was sleeping, buried in a pile of dry leaves, the goddess Pallas Athena went to the city of the Phaeacians. There she entered the palace of King Alcinous and, taking the form of the daughter of the sailor Dimantas, appeared to the sleeping princess Nausicaa. The goddess began to reproach Nausicaä for not taking care of her clothes. Athena reminded the young princess that her wedding day was not far off; she must prepare clean clothes for her family and those who would take her to the groom’s house. The goddess Nausicaa hurried to go with her slaves to the seashore to the reservoirs to wash her clothes. Having said this, the goddess left Nausicaä and ascended to bright Olympus.
At dawn Nausicaä awoke. She was struck by the dream she saw. She immediately went to her parents. She found her mother Aretha near the hearth. Surrounded by maids, she spun purple yarn. Nausicaa met her father at the door - he was going to the council of the Phaeacian elders. Nausicaä approached her father and began to ask him to give her a cart drawn by mules so that she could go to the river to wash her clothes.
“We have a lot of unclean clothes,” said Nausicaä, “I’ll go wash them.” After all, you must sparkle with clean clothes in the council of elders, and your young sons want to attend the round dances of the Phaeacian maidens in clean clothes. I take care of clothes alone.
Nausicaä said so, but she did not say a word about the marriage she desired with all her heart. She was ashamed to mention him. But Alcinous understood his daughter’s secret thought and, smiling tenderly at her, ordered the slaves to prepare a cart with a basket and harness the mules to it. Nausicaä quickly got ready. Queen Arete gave her food and wine so that her daughter and slaves could satisfy their hunger after work. She also gave them a golden vessel with fragrant oil to anoint their bodies after bathing.
Nausicaä and her slaves went joyfully to the seashore. Arriving at the reservoirs, they washed their clothes in them, rinsed them and spread them out to dry on the sandy seashore. Having finished their work, the young maidens washed themselves in the river and anointed their bodies with fragrant oil. Then, having eaten, they began to frolic on the river bank, amusing themselves with a game of ball. It was then that Pallas Athena came up with a way to wake up Odysseus. Nausicaä threw the ball at her friends, and Athena, invisible to the maidens, poisoned him with her mighty hand, and he fell into the sea. All the maidens screamed loudly. Odysseus woke up from this cry. He didn’t know what to decide: should he leave his shelter or not? Finally, he went out to the maidens, covering his body with branches. Odysseus looked terrible, covered in sea mud and algae. The maidens were frightened and ran away in all directions. Nausicaa was left alone; the goddess Athena inspired her with courage. Odysseus did not dare to approach the beautiful maiden. From afar he began to beg her to help him, saying:
- Oh, beautiful maiden, I stretch out my hands to you in prayer. You are equal in beauty to the goddess Artemis. Aren't you a goddess? If you are mortal, then how happy your parents are to have such a daughter! With your beauty, you reminded me of the slender palm tree that I once marveled at on Delos at the altar of the god Apollo. Have pity, beautiful maiden, on me! For twenty days I rushed across the stormy sea. Give me at least some piece of cloth to cover my nakedness! May the immortal gods fulfill all your desires for this help! May they reward you with a happy marriage!
“Stranger,” Nausicaä answered Odysseus, “I see from your words that you are not an ordinary person and that the gods have rewarded you with wisdom.” But Zeus sends both happiness and misfortune to both the noble and the ignorant. Bear with patience what Zeus has sent you. Here with us you will not need anything. I'll show you the way to the city. I am the daughter of Alcinous, ruler of the Phaeacians.
Nausicaa called her slaves and ordered them to give Odysseus clean clothes and feed him. Odysseus washed himself in the river, anointed his body with fragrant oil and put on the clothes given to him. Athena endowed Odysseus with such beauty that when Odysseus sat down on the seashore, Nausicaä even wondered if one of the gods had appeared on earth. A beautiful princess would gladly choose such a husband for herself. The slaves gave Odysseus food and wine, and he satisfied his hunger.
Meanwhile, everything was ready for the return to the city. Nausicaä invited Odysseus to follow her. She asked him only for one thing - that he should not enter the city with her and her slaves, but would wait at the city gates, in the garden of Alcinous, near the grove dedicated to the goddess Athena, and let her return to the palace alone. The princess was afraid that the Phaeacians would slander her when they saw her with a beautiful stranger, and say whether she had chosen him as her groom. In addition, Nausicaa advised Odysseus, when he entered the palace, first of all to fall at the feet of Queen Arete and beg her for help, since she, like a goddess, is honored by all the people for her great wisdom. Having said this, Nausicaä drove the mules towards the city. The slaves and Odysseus followed her. The princess held back the running of the mules so that Odysseus and the slaves could keep up with her.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru