h the strong conceit, tears (the true interpreters of
unutterable emotion) stood in his eyes.

Which king Alcinous noting, and that this was now the second time that
he had perceived him to be moved at the mention of events touching the
Trojan wars, he took occasion to ask whether his guest had lost any
friend or kinsman at Troy, that Demodocus's singing had brought into
his mind. Then Ulysses, drying the tears with his cloak, and observing
that the eyes of all the company were upon him, desirous to give them
satisfaction in what he could, and thinking this a fit time to reveal
his true name and destination, spake as follows:

"The courtesies which ye all have shewn me, and in particular yourself
and princely daughter, O king Alcinous, demand from me that I should
no longer keep you in ignorance of what or who I am; for to reserve
any secret from you, who have with such openness of friendship
embraced my love, would argue either a pusillanimous or an ungrateful
mind in me. Know then that I am that _Ulysses_, of whom I perceive ye
have heard something; who heretofore have filled the world with the
renown of my policies. I am he by whose counsels, if Fame is to be
believed at all, more than by the united valour of all the Grecians,
Troy fell. I am that unhappy man whom the heavens and angry gods have
conspired to keep an exile on the seas, wandering to seek my home
which still flies from me. The land which I am in quest of is Ithaca;
in whose ports some ship belonging to your navigation-famed Phaeacian
state may haply at some time have found a refuge from tempests. If
ever you have experienced such kindness, requite it now; by granting
to me, who am the king of that land, a passport to that land."

Admiration seized all the court of Alcinous, to behold in their
presence one of the number of those heroes who fought at Troy, whose
divine story had been made known to them by songs and poems, but of
the truth they had little known, or rather they had hitherto accounted
those heroic exploits as fictions and exaggerations of poets; but
having seen and made proof of the real Ulysses, they began to take
those supposed inventions to be real verities, and the tale of Troy to
be as true as it was delightful.

Then king Alcinous made answer: "Thrice fortunate ought we to esteem
our lot, in having seen and conversed with a man of whom report hath
spoken so loudly, but, as it seems, nothing beyond the truth. Though
we could desire