ods not far
distant from the place where these young maids had come to wash.

At the sound of female voices Ulysses crept forth from his retirement,
making himself a covering with boughs and leaves as well as he could
to shroud his nakedness. The sudden appearance of his weather-beaten
and almost naked form, so frighted the maidens that they scudded away
into the woods and all about to hide themselves, only Minerva (who
had brought about this interview to admirable purposes, by seemingly
accidental means) put courage into the breast of Nausicaa, and she
stayed where she was, and resolved to know what manner of man he was,
and what was the occasion of his strange coming to them.

He not venturing (for delicacy) to approach and clasp her knees, as
suppliants should, but standing far off, addressed this speech to the
young princess:

"Before I presume rudely to press my petitions, I should first ask
whether I am addressing a mortal woman, or one of the goddesses. If a
goddess, you seem to me to be likest to Diana, the chaste huntress,
the daughter of Jove. Like hers are your lineaments, your stature,
your features, and air divine."

She making answer that she was no goddess, but a mortal maid, he
continued:

"If a woman, thrice blessed are both the authors of your birth, thrice
blessed are your brothers, who even to rapture must have joy in your
perfections, to see you grown so like a young tree, and so graceful.
But most blessed of all that breathe is he that has the gift to engage
your young neck in the yoke of marriage. I never saw that man that was
worthy of you. I never saw man or woman that at all parts equalled
you. Lately at Delos (where I touched) I saw a young palm which grew
beside Apollo's temple; it exceeded all the trees which ever I beheld
for straitness and beauty: I can compare you only to that. A stupor
past admiration strikes me, joined with fear, which keeps me back from
approaching you, to embrace your knees. Nor is it strange; for one
of freshest and firmest spirit would falter, approaching near to so
bright an object: but I am one whom a cruel habit of calamity has
prepared to receive strong impressions. Twenty days the unrelenting
seas have tossed me up and down coming from Ogygia, and at length cast
me ship-wrecked last night upon your coast. I have seen no man or
woman since I landed but yourself. All that I crave is clothes, which
you may spare me, and to be shown the way to some neighbouri