en, recalls Hector, Andromache and Astyanax as they appear in the
Sixth Book of the Iliad. Ulysses is like such a woman, without home or
family, alone among strangers, shedding tears. Thus he connects himself
with the fateful story of Ilium.

Previously Ulysses wept at the first lay of Demodocus, now he
emphasizes his sorrow by repetition. Whenever the theme of Troy is
touched, he has to respond with tears; the second time of weeping at
the Trojan tale is necessary in order to fix his character and identify
him as a returner. Yet this repetition so vitally organic is questioned
by many critics, some of whom resort to excision. It is hardly worth
the while to notice them in their various attempts at destruction and
construction; when we once catch the underlying motive all becomes
plain. The first and last scenes of weeping unifies the Book, the bond
of tears holds its parts indissolubly together in the emotions.

Alcinous has observed the stranger both times, sitting near him, while
we may suppose that the other Phaeacians, not noticing him, to be
further off. The king sees his distress and even hears his sobs; in the
first case the royal host refrained from inquiry, that being the duty
of hospitality; but now the time for interrogation has arrived. The
speech of Alcinous is characteristic; full of humanity, full of
sympathy is the tone: "a guest, a suppliant stands for a brother even
to the man of little feeling." A touch of prophetic boastfulness he
shows here and elsewhere; the ships of the Phaeacians he endows with
supernatural powers, which fact, however, is not without meaning: "We
have no pilots, no rudders even, our boats obey our thoughts, and know
the cities and lands to which they come; very quickly do they shoot
across the wave, hid in fog and cloud." Truly an ideal ship, which time
has not yet realized, though recent navigation, with its present steam
and its future electricity, is on the way thereto. Still angry Neptune
threatens danger and may work damage, "smiting the ship on the dark
deep." This speech of Alcinous with its miraculous, prophetic tinge,
with its far-seeing hints of coming realities, almost foretelling our
modern humanity and our modern mastery of the sea through science, and
putting the two side by side, has given much trouble to the critics,
whom we again shall have to pass by, as they simply darken the poet.

Finally comes the demand: who art thou and why didst thou weep? What is
thy