The Odyssey, Book VI
(The Princess and the Stranger)
1. While Odysseus sleeps, Athena helps him by putting an idea into the mind of
Nausikaa , the daughter of Alkinoös, the king of the Phaiákians. Nausikaa is introduced
to us and portrayed as being as beautiful as a young goddess. On Athena's suggestion
(while disguised as one of Nausikaa's friends), Nausikaa decides she must go with her
friends to the washing pools to clean all her clothes to prepare for marriage.
2. After Nausikaa and her friends wash the clothes and bathe, they play a game with a
ball. Their shouting wakes Odysseus, who is sleeping in the bushes. Odysseus decides to
appeal for help to the young girls he sees. Nausikaa, being bolder than her companions
who have run away, calmly confronts Odysseus and offers to help him. She understands
courtesy and the importance of the guest/ host relationship when she tells her terrified
friends,
Strangers and beggars
come from Zeus: a small gift, then, is friendly.
Give our new guest some food and drink, and take him
into the river, out of the wind, to bathe. (ll. 227-32)
3. To help Odysseus, and to impress Nausikaa, Athena makes him more attractive:
Athena lent a hand, making him seem
taller, and massive too, with crisping hair
in curls like petals of wild hyacinth,
but all red-golden. Think of gold infused
on silver by a craftsman, whose fine art
Hephaistos taught him, or Athena: one
whose work moves to delight: just so she lavished
beauty over Odysseus' head and shoulders. (ll. 253-260)
Nausikaa comments, "now he looks like one of heaven's people./ I wish my husband
could be fine as he" (LL. 269-71). This is suggestive of the folk theme of the mysterious
prince who comes from afar to woo the beautiful princess.
4. Nausikaa gives Odysseus directions for finding the palace of Alkinoös once they get to
the town, and suggests that he speak first to her mother, Arete. Odysseus prays to Athena
that the Phaiákians may treat him kindly.