Alcinous planned for Demodocus to sing during the cloister entertainment.
See evidence text
“‘Hear me,’ said he, ‘aldermen and town councillors of the Phaeacians, that I may speak even as I am minded. This stranger, whoever he may be, has found his way to my house from somewhere or other either East or West. He wants an escort and wishes to have the matter settled. Let us then get one ready for him, as we have done for others before him; indeed, no one who ever yet came to my house has been able to complain of me for not speeding on his way soon enough. Let us draw a ship into the sea—one that has never yet made a voyage—and man her with two and fifty of our smartest young sailors. Then when you have made fast your oars each by his own seat, leave the ship and come to my house to prepare a feast. {65} I will find you in everything. I am giving these instructions to the young men who will form the crew, for as regards you aldermen and town councillors, you will join me in entertaining our guest in the cloisters. I can take no excuses, and we will have Demodocus to sing to us; for there is no bard like him whatever he may choose to sing about.’”
·Direct
Demodocus was seated near a bearing-post in the cloister.
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“When he had said this, he seated himself beside Alcinous. Supper was then served, and the wine was mixed for drinking. A servant led in the favourite bard Demodocus, and set him in the midst of the company, near one of the bearing-posts supporting the cloister, that he might lean against it. Then Ulysses cut off a piece of roast pork with plenty of fat (for there was abundance left on the joint) and said to a servant, ‘Take this piece of pork over to Demodocus and tell him to eat it; for all the pain his lays may cause me I will salute him none the less; bards are honoured and respected throughout the world, for the muse teaches them their songs and loves them.’”
Demodocus took his place amid the stewards in the marked dance space.
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“On this a servant hurried off to bring the lyre from the king’s house, and the nine men who had been chosen as stewards stood forward. It was their business to manage everything connected with the sports, so they made the ground smooth and marked a wide space for the dancers. Presently the servant came back with Demodocus’s lyre, and he took his place in the midst of them, whereon the best young dancers in the town began to foot and trip it so nimbly that Ulysses was delighted with the merry twinkling of their feet.”
“Every one approved of this, and then they went home to bed each in his own abode. When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared they hurried down to the ship and brought their cauldrons with them. Alcinous went on board and saw everything so securely stowed under the ship’s benches that nothing could break adrift and injure the rowers. Then they went to the house of Alcinous to get dinner, and he sacrificed a bull for them in honour of Jove who is the lord of all. They set the steaks to grill and made an excellent dinner, after which the inspired bard, Demodocus, who was a favourite with every one, sang to them; but Ulysses kept on turning his eyes towards the sun, as though to hasten his setting, for he was longing to be on his way. As one who has been all day ploughing a fallow field with a couple of oxen keeps thinking about his supper and is glad when night comes that he may go and get it, for it is all his legs can do to carry him, even so did Ulysses rejoice when the sun went down, and he at once said to the Phaeacians, addressing himself more particularly to King Alcinous:
”
Alcinous says no bard equals Demodocus, whatever subject he chooses to sing.
See evidence text
“I can take no excuses, and we will have Demodocus to sing to us; for there is no bard like him whatever he may choose to sing about.’”
·Direct
Demodocus is a famous blind bard, dearly loved by the Muse and endowed by her with a divine gift of song.
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“A servant presently led in the famous bard Demodocus, whom the muse had dearly loved, but to whom she had given both good and evil, for though she had endowed him with a divine gift of song, she had robbed him of his eyesight.”
·Direct
The Muse inspires Demodocus to sing the feats of heroes.
See evidence text
“The company then laid their hands upon the good things that were before them, but as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, the muse inspired Demodocus to sing the feats of heroes, and more especially a matter that was then in the mouths of all men, to wit, the quarrel between Ulysses and Achilles, and the fierce words that they heaped on one another as they sat together at a banquet.”
·Direct
A servant hangs up Demodocus’s lyre and guides the bard out of the cloister toward the games.
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“A servant hung Demodocus’s lyre on its peg for him, led him out of the cloister, and set him on the same way as that along which all the chief men of the Phaeacians were going to see the sports;”
·Direct
Demodocus’s song charms both Ulysses and the seafaring Phaeacians.
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“Thus sang the bard, and both Ulysses and the seafaring Phaeacians were charmed as they heard him.”
·Direct
Demodocus is led in as the favourite bard, seated near a bearing-post so he can lean against it, and sent a fatty piece of roast pork by Ulysses.
See evidence text
“A servant led in the favourite bard Demodocus, and set him in the midst of the company, near one of the bearing-posts supporting the cloister, that he might lean against it. Then Ulysses cut off a piece of roast pork with plenty of fat (for there was abundance left on the joint) and said to a servant, ‘Take this piece of pork over to Demodocus and tell him to eat it”
·Reported
Ulysses says he admires no one more than Demodocus and praises the accuracy of his songs about the Achaeans’ sufferings and adventures.
See evidence text
“Demodocus, there is no one in the world whom I admire more than I do you. You must have studied under the Muse, Jove’s daughter, and under Apollo, so accurately do you sing the return of the Achaeans with all their sufferings and adventures. If you were not there yourself, you must have heard it all from some one who was.”
·Reported
Ulysses praises Demodocus as a bard with a divine voice.
See evidence text
“a bard with such a divine voice as this man has”
·Direct
Demodocus, the inspired and universally favored bard, sings at the farewell dinner.
See evidence text
“inspired bard, Demodocus, who was a favourite with every one, sang to them”