Alcinoüs Calls for Dance

23He ended here, and all the assembly sat
In silence; King Alcinous only spoke: —

24“Stranger, since you do speak without offence,
And but to assert the prowess of your arm,
Indignant that amid the public games
This man should rail at you, and since your wish
Is only that all others who can speak
Becomingly may not in time to come
Dispraise that prowess, now, then, heed my words,
And speak of them within your palace halls
To other heroes when you banquet
Beside your wife and children, and do think
Of things that we excel in —arts which Zeus
Gives us, transmitted from our ancestors.
In boxing and in wrestling small renown
Have we, but we are swift of foot; we guide
Our galleys bravely over the deep; we take
Delight in feasts; we love the harp, the dance,
And change of raiment, the warm bath and bed.
Rise, then, Phaeacian masters of the dance,
And tread your measures, that our guest may tell
His friends at home how greatly we surpass
All other men in seamanship, the race,
The dance, the art of song. Go, one of you,
And bring Demodocus his clear-toned harp,
That somewhere in our palace has been left.”