Odyssey

Then they stood on one side and went to tell the girl, while Odysseus washed himself in the stream and scrubbed the brine from his back and from his broad shoulders. When he had thoroughly washed himself, and had got the brine out of his hair, he anointed himself with oil, and put on the clothes which the girl had given him; Athena then made him look taller and stronger than before, she also made the hair grow thick on the top of his head, and flow down in curls like hyacinth blossoms; she poured down gracefulness [ kharis ] over his head and shoulders as a skillful workman who has studied art of all kinds under Hephaistos and Athena enriches a piece of silver plate by gilding it - and his work is full of beauty. Then he went and sat down a little way off upon the beach, looking quite young and handsome [ kharis ], and the girl gazed on him with admiration; then she said to her maids:

OdysseyBook 6, Line 223Samuel ButlerEnglishVerse permalinkRead in Book 6

HomerProseID odyssey-odyssey-butler-en-prose-6-223