But do not
think us cowards; if you wish to try our strength, we will shoot and
box, and wrestle, against any men on earth."
And Alcinous smiled, and answered: "I believe you, gallant guests; with
your long limbs and broad shoulders, we could never match you here. For
we care nothing here for boxing, or for shooting with the bow; but for
feasts, and songs, and harping, and dancing, and running races, to
stretch our limbs on shore."
So they danced there and ran races, the jolly merchant kings, till the
night fell, and all went in.
And then they ate and drank, and comforted their weary souls, till
Alcinous called a herald, and bade him go and fetch the harper.
The herald went out, and fetched the harper, and led him in by the hand;
and Alcinous cut him a piece of meat from the fattest of the haunch, and
sent it to him, and said: "Sing to us, noble harper, and rejoice the
heroes' hearts."
So the harper played and sang, while the dancers danced strange figures;
and after that the tumblers showed their tricks, till the heroes laughed
again.
Then, "Tell me, heroes," asked Alcinous, "you who have sailed the ocean
round, and seen the manners of all nations, have you seen such dancers
as ours here? or heard such music and such singing? We hold ours to be
the best on earth."
"Such dancing we have never seen," said Orpheus; "and your singer is a
happy man; for Phoebus himself must have taught him, or else he is the
son of a Muse; as I am also, and have sung once or twice, though not so
well as he.
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