Which king Alcinous noting, and that this was now the second time that he
had perceived him to be moved at the mention of events touching the Trojan
wars, he took occasion to ask whether his guest had lost any friend or
kinsman at Troy, that Demodocus's singing had brought into his mind. Then
Ulysses, drying the tears with his cloak, and observing that the eyes of
all the company were upon him, desirous to give them satisfaction in what
he could, and thinking this a fit time to reveal his true name and
destination, spake as follows:
"The courtesies which ye all have shown me, and in particular yourself and
princely daughter, O king Alcinous, demand from me that I should no longer
keep you in ignorance of what or who I am; for to reserve any secret from
you, who have with such openness of friendship embraced my love, would
argue either a pusillanimous or an ungrateful mind in me. Know, then, that
I am that Ulysses, of whom I perceive ye have heard something; who
heretofore have filled the world with the renown of my policies. I am he
by whose counsels, if Fame is to be believed at all, more than by the
united valour of all the Grecians, Troy fell. I am that unhappy man whom
the heavens and angry gods have conspired to keep an exile on the seas,
wandering to seek my home, which still flies from me. The land which I am
in quest of is Ithaca; in whose ports some ship belonging to your
navigation-famed Phaeacian state may haply at some time have found a
refuge from tempests.
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