A Guide to the Odyssey: A Commentary on the English Translation of Robert Fitzgerald (25 page)

132–35
That was a lusty cry …:
It is a nice touch to have Odysseus wonder to himself whether he is hearing the cries of mountain nymphs or mortal girls, given the recent Artemis simile.
It seems as if here Homer is playing with the division between the two worlds, one of the narrated reality, the other of the simile, a division usually strictly respected. (See also 161–65, below.)

137–39
Odysseus is once again shown to be infinitely resourceful and ever mindful of the perspectives of others, the latter perhaps the key to his famous rhetorical skills (see 155–59). Some have found Odysseus’ care to cover his nakedness inconsistent with the fact that Nestor’s youngest daughter gave a bath to Telémakhos (III.506–8); however, the bathing of an honored guest whose identity is known, in one’s family home and likely in the presence of servants, is a highly structured situation and nothing like the eruption from the bushes of a grimy, unknown man toward a group of girls far from home. As it is, all but Nausikaa flee in fright (149–50). The fact that their menfolk are far away is apparently of no concern in itself, because once she is convinced that Odysseus means her no harm Nausikaa orders her maids to bathe him on the spot (223–24), but neither the maids (230) nor Odysseus himself (232–36) is willing to permit this.

140–51
The branch of course does little to clothe him (“in his rough skin,” 145 [
gumnos per eôn
, 136]); it is more important as a sign or token that his intents are not evil and that he is a civilized man. Everything else about his appearance belies this, and Homer effectively shows us how terrifying he looked, first with the simile of the lion (140–44; note another simile in the mountains) and then by direct description of his desperate state (145–48). Their world and their minds are brilliantly and economically caught in the epithet, however traditional, “with pretty braids” [
eüpbkamoisin
, 135, and again at 198 (although Fitzgerald eliminates it from the latter, his line 212)].

151
a bold heart:
Homer sent Athena to Olympos (47–53); here her name stands for the sort of inner confidence or self-possession the goddess often inspires when present in those she would aid (see V.456–57, above).

152–59
Before having Odysseus speak or act, Homer shows him
strategizing, resembling in no way the ravenous lion driven by hunger to which he has just been compared. The main question is this: should he grasp her knees in the formal gesture of supplication or rely on “honeyed speech” (155)? Lest the gesture be considered too forward and thus anger his potential benefactor, he will employ words alone.

161–64
Odysseus’ first words are truly “honeyed” and highly complimentary. One might take his professed uncertainty whether he is addressing a goddess or a mortal as a continuation of his thoughts (132–35) and of the earlier simile (110ff.), and, indeed, Homer clearly wants us to recall that simile when he has Odysseus refer to Artemis and her devotees (163–64). But considering the introduction to this speech, in particular the double reference to “honeyed words” [143 and 146], Homer also wants us to be aware that, however large or small the doubt in Odysseus’ mind as to the mortal status of his interlocutor, his words are carefully calculated.

161
Mistress
(w)anassa [149]: The feminine form of
(w)anax
(see I.448, above) is used only for goddesses, and in Homer, apart from this speech, only for Artemis and Athena.

please:
Odysseus says literally, “I kneel to grasp your knees,” [
gounomai
, 149] while not doing so, thus meaning “I beg you by your knees,” the gesture that indicates he is begging for the sacred status of suppliant (see 207, below).

163–4
Another advantage of Odysseus’ rhetorical strategy is that in praising Nausikaa’s beauty as that of a goddess, he can compliment her without seeming too forward. The first aim of rhetoric is for the speaker to win the audience’s goodwill or benevolence (Latin
captatio benevolentiae
). This became a rule in rhetorical handbooks (see also XIV. 229–417, below). But ancient rhetoricians noted that even though Homer wrote long before the systematization of rhetoric, he and his characters “naturally” observed and exemplified its aims. Odysseus became and remained through the ages the master rhetorician, a reputation that can be valued
positively and negatively, depending on an age’s attitude to rhetoric and verbal craft.

165–69
When he considers Nausikaa as a human, it is in the context of her family: father, mother, brothers. He wishes to emphasize his appreciation of civilized social structures, as well as to lay the groundwork for his request to be introduced to her family: he knows that if he is to receive hospitality and other assistance, it will have to come from the head of whatever household she belongs to.

170–71
It is here that Odysseus seems most forward and runs the greatest risk in his praise. But he is likely to know, as well as her father did, what is on a maiden’s mind. In fact, it was only through marriage that a girl in ancient Greece (and in many other times and places) could take her place as an adult in society.

171
prevails:
In the Greek the successful suitor “prevails” through his bridal gifts [159], again a token that the man before Nausikaa understands and appreciates the fine points of social organization. She might just think, and Odysseus might mean for her to think, that he is of better stock than he appears to be.

174ff
. Odysseus subtly and somewhat artificially shifts ground to speak of himself. Casually and in short order, he presents himself as a man who has visited the shrine to Apollo at Delos, the center of his cult (175), and a military commander (176) who has suffered misfortune (177).

180–81
I stand in awe so great:
Through his words Odysseus can, as it were, both take her knees and not take her knees: by saying he is fearful to carry out the formal gesture of supplication, he conveys the intent of the act while observing the punctilious propriety he has calculated to be wisest under the present circumstances.

194–99
Again Odysseus alludes to the marriage theme in such a way as to emphasize proper social relations. The “harmony” or “agreement” of man and wife [Greek
homophrosunên
, 181,
homophroneonte
,
183] is an important theme in
The Odyssey
, which is as much an exploration of the “harmony” between Penélopê and Odysseus as it is a story of Odysseus’ travels (see Introduction, p. vii, and Books XIII.509, XIX. 158–60, and XXIII.69–73, 187, and 189, below). It would not be wrong to imagine that Penélopê is on his mind as he speaks these words to Nausikaa. (Of Odysseus’ longing for home and his wife
Book V
gave ample testimony.)

198–99
Woe to their enemies, / joy to their friends
is the standard morality of ancient Greece and many other cultures, ancient and modern. It is characteristic of what is often called a “shame culture” as opposed to a “guilt culture.” It is against the backdrop of this morality that Sokrates’ argument that it is better to suffer evil than to do it seemed so paradoxical—or later, that the idea of praying for and loving one’s enemies seemed so revolutionary.

199
But all this they know best:
This appears to be a puzzling and weak ending to Odysseus’ speech, but that may be the point. By this argument, he provides Nausikaa an opportunity to help him, and a rousing and highly impressive ending to his speech would work against the picture of weakness and lack of self-sufficiency he wishes to project. Hainsworth’s “they themselves are in high repute” would give the speech a more standard and easily understood conclusion (HWH 1.305 [on VI. 184–85]).

207
comfort due to a poor man in distress:
In Greek Nausikaa acknowledges that he is due special treatment by using the technical term for suppliant [
hiketên
, 193].

216
Piracy and brigandage were common throughout the Mediterranean, and coastal communities as well as merchant ships were at risk.

221–22
from Zeus:
That is, they are under his protection (see 130–31, above). Understand “a small gift” as “a gift, however small.”

234–36
Odysseus’ sense of shame may be as much or more the result of a consciousness of his filthy and poor condition than of embarrassment about being seen naked by servant girls.

248
Hephaistos was particularly skilled at metalwork and was thus the patron of metalworkers; Athena was patron of all craftspeople.

250ff
. beauty: Before Odysseus looked admiringly upon the beauty of Nausikaa. Now, with a little help from Athena, the spectator has become the spectacle, and although it would not be permitted to her, as it was to him, to express her appreciation of his appearance openly, she can share her opinions with her maids.

258–60
As Odysseus had at first wondered whether Nausikaa might be a goddess and later expressed this uncertainty to her, Nausikaa very nearly thinks the same of him; certainly he looks like one of the gods. She does think that someone like him would make a fine husband, which some ancient commentators considered a blot on her character. But why not? The subject of marriage has been put into her head by no less than Athena (although Nausikaa thinks it was her friend in a dream), and Odysseus himself has with clever calculation insinuated the idea of marriage any number of times. Finally, she is only speaking her frank thoughts to her maids and confidantes. Shortly she will find a way, as crafty as his, to share this thought with Odysseus himself (see 291ff.).

261
This line is a rapid and seemingly unmotivated shift in Nausikaa’s thoughts, so abrupt, in fact, that Homer may be showing her covering her tracks. As Homer does not fail to show us, the same word can mean both “husband” (259 [
posis
, 244]) and “drink” (Fitzgerald’s “refreshment” at 261 in the Greek means “food and drink,” as at 265 [posis, the accusative form of
posts
, 246 and 248]). Considering ancient belief in the power of language, particularly of names and etymologies, I am not certain that we should, with most critics, rule out the possibility of a pun
or some sort of intentional linkage on Homer’s part. There is no question that Homer plays on such linkages elsewhere and sometimes has his speakers do so. And there is no question that Homer reveals the thought processes of his characters, which he often does by presenting a character weighing several possibilities and choosing one. See XVII.300–304, below. It would be unusual, and astonishingly subtle, if by linking these words Homer was attempting to depict what we would term the subconscious workings of Nausikaa’s mind.

280
Isle:
See 11, above.

285ff
.
Poseidon’s shrine:
The prominence of Poseidon’s shrine and the particularly close relationship between the Phaiákians and the sea, given the location of Skhería, is quite natural. It also prepares us for the way they are able to help Odysseus reach home as well as for the cost Poseidon will exact from them for their service to Odysseus. However, this information in no way inhibits Odysseus from telling the Phaiákians the reasons for Poseidon’s anger with him (Book IX).

291ff
. Although Nausikaa admires the skill of the seaman, the princess is superior to the dockworkers and sailors. This touch is entirely realistic, and her concern is well founded. Scholars have noted what a clever rhetorical strategy Nausikaa has found: she invents an imaginary gossip, and under the pretense of detailing what she doesn’t want bruited about, she conveys to Odysseus: (1) “my name is Nausikaa but I still don’t know yours” (294); (2) that she thinks he is very handsome (294), perhaps even a god (298–99); (3) that he certainly looks like a marriage prospect (295) and one very much to her liking (299–300); (4) that she’s been courted by many [
polees
, 284] excellent men (302–3); from which he should infer that, if he is thinking of winning her hand, he will have to deal with local competition and perhaps even resentment.

305–7
Nausikaa insists on propriety: she will not and cannot act on her own while her parents are alive, and any potential suitor will have to apply to them. It is a great irony, which at this point even
Odysseus cannot appreciate, that he should be cast even hypothetically in the role of suitor while his wife is fending off suitors at home.

309
safe conduct:
Nausikaa, however cleverly she has shown the way that her or someone’s fantasies might run, properly responds to what Odysseus more likely wants, and indeed does want: to be sent home.

310
in a roadside park:
That the grove is dedicated to Athena obviously augurs well for Odysseus.

323
mégaron:
The main feasting hall, although the word is sometimes used to describe other large quarters within the Homeric house. Readers should not, however, be surprised to learn that “just as the geographical descriptions fit many places, so the Homeric house can be drawn in accordance with many plans” (Hainsworth in HWH I.312–13 [on VI.303]). There was a phase when Homeric scholarship went to great lengths to square epic terminology with the most recent archeological discoveries of Mycenaean architecture, but balance and sense have returned. “Old formulae might preserve a detail, but subject as they were to continuous replacement by new expressions they could not preserve the overall concept with its parts in their proper articulation.” This seems quite just.