last cup to Hermes. Quickly he passed through them, and put his
hands on the knees of Arete and said--and as he spake the mist
cleared from about him, and all that were in the hall beheld
him:--

"I implore thee, and thy husband, and thy guests, to send me home
to my native country. The gods bless thee and them, and grant you
to live in peace, and that your children should come peacefully
after you!"

And he sat down in the ashes of the hearth. Then for a space all
were silent, but at the last spake Echeneus [Footnote: E-che-ne'-
us.], who was the oldest man in the land:--

"King Alcinous, this ill becomes you that this man should sit in
the ashes of the hearth. Raise him and bid him sit upon a seat,
and let us pour out an offering to Father Zeus, who is the friend
of strangers, and let the keeper of the house give him meat and
drink."

And Alcinous did so, bidding his eldest born, Laodamas [Footnote:
La-o'-da-mas.], rise from his seat. And an attendant poured water
on his hands, and the keeper of the house gave him meat and drink.
Then, when all had poured out an offering to Father Zeus, King
Alcinous spake, saying: "In the morning we will call an assembly
of the people, and consider how we may take this stranger to his
home, so that he may reach it without trouble or pain. Home will
we take him without hurt, but what things may befall him there, we
know not; these shall be as the Fates spun his thread. But, if he
is a god and not a man, then is this a new device of the gods. For