charity, but that love or some sinister intention lies hid
under its disguise. So discreet and attentive to appearance in all her
actions was this admirable princess.

Ulysses as he entered the city wondered to see its magnificence, its
markets, buildings, temples; its walls and rampires; its trade, and
resort of men; its harbours for shipping, which is the strength of
the Phaeacian state. But when he approached the palace, and beheld its
riches, the proportion of its architecture, its avenues, gardens,
statues, fountains, he stood rapt in admiration, and almost forgot
his own condition in surveying the flourishing estate of others: but
recollecting himself he passed on boldly into the inner apartment,
where the king and queen were sitting at dinner with their peers;
Nausicaa having prepared them for his approach.

To them humbly kneeling he made it his request, that since fortune
had cast him naked upon their shores, they would take him into their
protection, and grant him a conveyance by one of the ships, of which
their great Phaeacian state had such good store, to carry him to his
own country. Having delivered his request, to grace it with more
humility he went and sat himself down upon the hearth among the ashes,
as the custom was in those days when any would make a petition to the
throne.

He seemed a petitioner of so great state and of so superior a
deportment, that Alcinous himself arose to do him honour, and causing
him to leave that abject station which he had assumed, placed him next
to his throne, upon a chair of state, and thus he spake to his peers:

"Lords and counsellors of Phaeacia, ye see this man, who he is we know
not, that is come to us in the guise of a petitioner: he seems no mean
one; but whoever he is, it is fit, since the gods have cast him upon
our protection, that we grant him the rites of hospitality, while he
stays with us, and at his departure, a ship well manned to convey so
worthy a personage as he seems to be, in a manner suitable to his
rank, to his own country."

This counsel the peers with one consent approved; and wine and meat
being set before Ulysses, he ate and drank, and gave the gods thanks
who had stirred up the royal bounty of Alcinous to aid him in that
extremity. But not as yet did he reveal to the king and queen who he
was, or whence he had come; only in brief terms he related his being
cast upon their shores, his sleep in the woods, and his meeting with
the princess