departure. Then Alcinous brought a golden goblet, beautifully
fashioned, and richly chased, and bade Arete bring a coffer to hold
the gifts. The coffer was displayed, and was in itself a gift of no
mean value, being a choice piece of work.

"Now bid thy handmaids prepare a bath for our guest," said Alcinous to
his wife, and "Receive this as a memorial of me," he added, placing
the goblet in Odysseus' hands, "that thou mayest remember me all the
days of thy life, when thou pourest libations to Zeus and the other
deathless gods."

Arete gave the order as required, and while the bath was preparing she
arranged all the gifts in the coffer. Then closing the lid she said to
Odysseus: "Make all fast with thine own hands, that none may meddle
with thy goods as thou liest asleep on thy passage across the sea."
Odysseus made fast the cord, securing it with an intricate and cunning
knot, which he had learnt from the great sorceress Circe; and when he
had finished he was summoned by the eldest of the handmaids to the
bath. When he had bathed and put on fresh raiment he came back to the
dining-hall; and as he entered he saw Nausicaä leaning against a
pillar. Sweet was the maiden's face, and kind her eyes, as she gazed
with innocent admiration on the stately figure of her father's guest.
"Farewell, my friend," said she, "and when thou arrivest home think
sometimes of her to whom thou owest thy life."

"Fair daughter of Alcinous," answered Odysseus, "if that day ever
comes--if I ever see my home again, by favour of Zeus, the lord of
Hera--be assured that I shall remember thee in my prayers, as long as
this life which thou hast given me shall last." And so he parted from
the maiden, and she went back to her mother's bower.