Meantime Minerva, designing an interview between the king's daughter of
that country and Ulysses when he should awake, went by night to the palace
of king Alcinous, and stood at the bedside of the princess Nausicaa in the
shape of one of her favourite attendants, and thus addressed the sleeping
princess:

"Nausicaa, why do you lie sleeping here, and never bestow a thought upon
your bridal ornaments, of which you have many and beautiful, laid up in
your wardrobe against the day of your marriage, which cannot be far
distant; when you shall have need of all, not only to deck your own
person, but to give away in presents to the virgins that honouring you
shall attend you to the temple? Your reputation stands much upon the
timely care of these things; these things are they which fill father and
reverend mother with delight. Let us arise betimes to wash your fair
vestments of linen and silks in the river; and request your sire to lend
you mules and a coach, for your wardrobe is heavy, and the place where we
must wash is distant, and besides it fits not a great princess like you to
go so far on foot."

So saying, she went away, and Nausicaa awoke, full of pleasing thoughts of
her marriage, which the dream had told her was not far distant; and as
soon as it was dawn she arose and dressed herself, and went to find her
parents.

The queen her mother was already up, and seated among her maids, spinning
at her wheel, as the fashion was in those primitive times, when great
ladies did not disdain housewifery: and the king her father was preparing
to go abroad at that early hour to council with his grave senate.