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NAUSICCA


The good King Alcinous had a young daughter called Nausicca, tall and beautiful as a goddess. She was asleep now in her richly—furnished room, with two of her ladies, both blest with beauty, lying by the door-posts, one on either side. The polished doors were closed; but Athene swept through like a breath of air to the girl's bed, leant over the head of it and spoke to her disguising herself as the daughter of a ship's captain named Dymas, a woman of Nausicca's own age and one of her bosom friends. 

«Nausicca,» said bright-eyed Athene, imitating her fri­end's voice, «How did your mother come to have such a daughter as you? Look at the lovely clothing you allow to lie about neglected, although you may soon be married and stand in need of beautiful clothes, not only to wear yourself but to provide for your bridegroom's party. It's this kind of thing that gives a girl a good name in the town, besides plea­sing her father and mother. Let us go and do some washing together the first thing in the morning. I offer to go with you and help, so that you can get yourself ready as soon as possible, for you certainly won't remain unmarried long. Why, every nobleman in the place wants you for his wife, you, a Phaeacian princess. Do ask your royal father in the morning to have a waggon made ready for you with a couple of mules. These waistbands and robes and glossy wraps could go in it, and it would be much more comfortable for you yourself to drive than to go on foot, as it's a long way from the city to the washing-pools.»

When she had finished, Athene of the flashing eyes with­drew to Olympus, where people say the gods have made their everlasting home. Shaken by no wind, drenched by no showers and invaded by no snows, it is set in cloudless sea of limpid air white radiance playing over all. There the happy gods spend their delightful days, and there the Lady of the Bright Eyes went when she had explained her wishes to the girl. 

Soon after, Dawn enthroned herself in the sky, and Nau-sicca in her lovely gown woke. She was amazed at her dream and set out at once through the palace to tell her father and her mother. She found them both in the house. Her mother was sitting at the hearth with her maids, spinning yarn stained with sea-purple; and she caught her father just as he was going out to join his princely colleagues at a conference to which he was called by the Phaeacian nobles. She went as close to him as she could and said: 

«Father dear, I wonder if you could tell them to get me a big waggon with strong wheels, so that I can take all the fine clothes that I have ying dirty here to the river to wash? And indeed it is only decent for you yourself when you are discussing affairs of state with important people to have clean linen on your back. Then again, there are five sons of yours in the palace, two of them married, while three are merry bachelors who are always asking for clothes straight from the wash to wear at dances. It is I who have to think of all these things. » 

She spoke in this way because she was too shy to mention her marriage to her father. But he understood her throughly and replied:

«I don't grudge you the mules, my child, or anything else. You may go; and the servants shall get you a fine big waggon.» 


From the Odyssey by Homer, Translated by E. V. Rieu


Kelimeler:


King Alcinous: Homer'in Odyssey'sinde anlatlan denizci bir kavim olan Phaeacian'larn kraldr. Bu kavim Odyssey'nin karaya çkt Seheria ülkesinde yaamaktayd.

Goddess: Tanrça

Richly-furnished room: Zengin bir ekilde döenmi oda

Blest with beauty: Güzellie sahip

Door-post: Kap yan

Polished: Cilal

Athene: Zeus'un ilk kars olan Metis'ten dünyaya gelen kz

Disguise: Kimliini gizlemek

Bosom friend: Yakn arkada

Neglected: hmal edilmi

To stand in need of: htiyac olmak

To provide for: Vermek için, temin etmek, (Metinde)

To get oneself ready: Hazrlanmak

Waistband: Kemer

Robe: Elbise

Glossy wraps: Parlak allar 

Washing-pools: Çamar ykanan su birikintileri 

Withdraw: Çekilmek, geri gitmek 

Everlasting: Ebedi 

Drenched: Islanm 

Shower: Sanak 

Invade: stila etmek 

Limpid air: Berrak hava 

It is set in cloudless sea of limpid air: Bulutsuz, berrak bir gökle çevrili 

Dawn: afak 

Enthrone: Tahta oturmak; burada afak sökmesi için kullanlmtr. 

To be amazed at: Hayret etmek 

Hearth: Ocakba

To spin yarn: plik bükmek, eirmek. 

Princely colleagues: Prens arkadalar 

It is decent for you: Size yarar 

Mules: katrlar 

Grudge: Esirgemek, çok görmek