Illustration of Odysseus tied to a ship's mast

The Odyssey

by Homer

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Describe how Odysseus lets Nausicaa and Alcinoos down on their offer of marriage to her.

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In book 7, Alcinoos hints at a marriage between Odysseus and his daughter Nausicaa.

"seeing the man you are, seeing your thoughts are my own thoughts--my daughter should be yours and you my son-in-law, if you remained.  A home, lands, riches you should have from me if you could be contented here"

Odysseus does not turn him down, but he instead praises Zeus and begs for to return to his homeland.

"O Father Zeus, let all this be fulfilled as spoken by Alcinoos! Earth of harvests remember him!  Return me to my homeland!"

So Odysseus makes sure that he doesn't offend the king or his daughter.  Instead, he shows how desperately he want to get home to see his wife and son.  Even after the offers of gold, land and riches, all Odysseus wants is his home.

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