The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-04-30

\ THE BELOVED
NAUsIcAA's BALL
= But Did tho Girl Marry Tele-
= machus, the Inept?

H.. M. selby. in the Christian Register.


II. M. Selby. in the Christian Register.
And what Is this?" I asked Of the
professor. who was showing me the
spo1ls or some excavations in the Greek
islands.
This" was a spherical object. formed
Of strips Of cloth, shaped like the pigs"
OF an orange. crossed with fine wicker
netting.
That" replied the professor, "is a
chlld's ball. found In the temple OF
Athene at Ithaca. l maintain that IT
is the ball with which Nausicaa and
her maidens played OF the famous
washing day"
But" l objected, "how could it get
to Ithaca? Surely, Musicals ball
would be at Phaeacia. If anywhere"
All" thereby hangs a tale" said
the professor.
He proceeded to tell me the follow
ing story, which. as he says. he found
in a collection Of memoirs-one Of the
recently discovered papyri. He did not
name the author of these memoirs and
was vague about the date; in fact, the
lucidity, which is one of his marked
characteristics, entirely deserted him
while he was answering my question on
this matter.
The story, however. IS clear enough.
1t runs as follows:
h enmity of Poseidon toward Odys-
seus-engendered by the binding, by
the latter. Of the gods son, the Cyclops
Polyphemus-was not stated by the
shipwreck Of the hero; in fact, the god
was only further enraged by the eS-
cape and safe return home of his vic
tim, as we may see by his changing
into stone the ship supplied to Odys-
seus by the kindly Phaecians. But to
harm Odysseus on the sea was now
impossible, since he was staying on
land, rejoicing in reunion with Pene-
lope and Ielemachus. and setting in or
der the affairs of the kingdom, which
had so long suffered from the absence
of the master. What should the angry
god do? After long meditation he at
last hit on the device of making him
self Invisible and whispering in Pene-
Fine the ball" ASK him how he
comes by the ball."
When Penelope awoke-feeling sure
That him must mean "Odysseus''-she
searched among the things her husband
had brought from Phaecia. and-sure
enough!-there was the ball. She Won
dered how the plaything came there.
but no unworthy suspicion clouded her
noble mind aS-obeying the voice she
had heard in her dream-she sought
and questioned her husband. Odys-
seus her truly. Gle lied to
other people. sometimes. but he always
told the truth to Penelope). He re-
lated how. In the storm raised by Pose
idon, he was saved by the help Of the
s~ea-goddess Leucothea and cast on an
shore. where he fell into a pro-
found sleep, from which he was awak-
ened by the sound Of merry young
voices. which he soon knew to proceed
rom a group Of maidens who were
playing at ball a little ways off from
the place where he was; how, after
~shrouding his n~akedness, as well as
ne could. in leafy boughs. he came forth
1 Hnn SfnHH q r 1Nr Cr h
troop screamed and made off, like star
tied deer-all but one, who remained
standing before him in simple dignity
and, after listening to his tale of woe.
with kindly pity. and graciously prom
lsing aid, told i'm. in answer to his
the Phaecians, Of which her father, AL
cinous was king; that she had been
directed. In a dream. to come hither.
with her to wash. in the
stream which flowed nearby, the gar
ments and linen Of the palace.
C'Thanks, gracious Athene," inter
polated Penelope at this point of the
story, knowing that the dream must
have been sent by the divine protect
ress of her spouse.)
Odysseus went on to tell how
Nausicaa directed her attendants to
had washed, and, when he had dropped
them, made him mount the wagon on
which she and her maidens had come
she herself leading the party on foot:
how, when they came to the house.
she made him alight and go up to the
palace alone. for fear Of scandalous
tongues If he were seen with her or
her attendants.
$50 Mrs. Grundy dates back even to
days Of Odysseus," I remarked. The
professor nodded. and continued the
story:-
"odysseus added that in the eY-
element the maidens forgot the ball
but he noticed 1t among the bushes
where he dressed. and picked 1t up. in
tending to restore 1t to Nausicaa. He
forgot, however; and he now proposed
to dedicate 1t, as a votive Offering, to
his preserver, Athene.
do so, dearest Odysseus.' said
Penelope, and let me accompany thee
to tbs shrine and join in thy hanks
gtvtngs to the goddess and prayers for
blessings on the gracious maiden Of
Pheacia. Would that dearest Telema-
his sride!"
Such a princess!" exclaimed
self7"
rs h still unbetrothedg asked
Penelope.
".she is replied odysseus, and her
father is willing that she should be
our sons BRIDE"
In process of time, as we know,
Nausicaa became the daughterinlaw Of
O~dysseus and Penelope"
Ielemachus wasn't half good
enough for her" I cred, as the pro-
lessor finished the tale. THE gods
gave a very DOR response to her de-
sire for q husband like Odysseus."
True" replied the professor. Out
let us hope hat Telemachus improved
as he grew older. AT any rate, it is
good to think how the Vaccinations Of
the malignant sea-god were powerless
against the generous faith OF a love
that was rooted in friendship"
Too Much to Expect.