(NAUSIKAA, HOMER, and AUTOS on the beach, early morning;
the sky is cloudy in shades of pink and violet-grey.)

NAUSIKAA: the nights are getting darker,
and weve been working like a dog,
and like a horse, and like
a woman;

HOMER: but he
would conceal her
(for)by(to)the shining-
radiant shield.

ὃ δέ μιν σάκεϊ κρύπτασκε φαεινῷ.

NAUSIKAA: but somehow at times,
the memories come through,

AUTOS: crossing over(through)it, o Works(hundreds)from-afar,
and Okalee(O beautiful-lady)(of kale)of many(fire-
works)towers(fortresses),

τὸν διαβάς, Ἑκάεργε, καὶ Ὠκαλέην πολύπυργον

NAUSIKAA: and thinking of you,
my heart is lighter;

HOMER: hither which(ones)first(among)Trojans
did blameless Teukros(to make-build-work, to overcome, to pass-
through)(take-hold-grasp-seize)(to-kill-or-to-slay)?

ἔνθα τίνα πρῶτον Τρώων ἕλε Τεῦκρος ἀμύμων;

NAUSIKAA: which brings me to the dream;

AUTOS: thence(came and went)then
(there)into Aliartos(sea-side-sunny-salt-bread)
you arrived at(poetry-poet)rich-in-grass;

ἔνθεν ἄρ᾽ εἰς Ἁλίαρτον ἀφίκεο ποιήεντα.

NAUSIKAA: still here?

(enter APOLLO, ZEUS, and HERA. APOLLO brings a plastic-
woven recliner and puts it on the sand. ZEUS sits and reclines,
wearing sunglasses; as HERA stands by his side; they watch.)

NAUSIKAA: and then some; what sing you, poet?

HOMER: Orsilochos is rousing ambush-raising, bringing-
forth, indeed, the firsts;

NAUSIKAA: well then; lets be the first
to count them in; we say they slay; thats one —
(she calls) come on in, boys!
lets line them up, here;

(ORSILOCHOS the Trojan comes running onto the beach.
As each name is called, a Trojan enters, wearing a handsome
sarung, and no shirt, to stand in a chorus line, on the sand.
They do not appear to be injured from the war.)

HOMER: (adjusts reading-glasses)
and(indeed)Ormenos sets in motion, stirring-up spears of flame,

NAUSIKAA: thats two, obviously hot

HOMER: and Ophelestes, helping the people, making a stand;

NAUSIKAA: we knew an Ophelia once. thats three,

HOMER: and Daitor, who portions a loaf and partakes in a feast;

NAUSIKAA: watch out for him, hes four;

HOMER: and Chromios en-colors his complexion of anointed skin;

NAUSIKAA: wow, five!

HOMER: and(they were dedicating)(they were running against)equal-
to-gods Lukophontes, murderously killing by silver wolflight,

NAUSIKAA: were shivering; hes six!

HOMER: and(indeed)Amopaon, together-companion-if-not-best-friend

NAUSIKAA: everybody gossips about seven,

HOMER: with the son of Poluaemon, of many bloods, an ancient gang,

NAUSIKAA: and bloody eight, fresh off the streets!

HOMER: and(indeed)Melanippos, obsidian Omar on his diamond horse;

Ὀρσίλοχον μὲν πρῶτα καὶ Ὄρμενον ἠδ᾽ Ὀφελέστην
Δαίτορά τε Χρομίον τε καὶ ἀντίθεον Λυκοφόντην

καὶ Πολυαιμονίδην Ἀμοπάονα καὶ Μελάνιππον,

NAUSIKAA: yes, thats Omar; all sent down to Hades town,
and now theyre our best friends; lets hear it
for nine Trojans, slaying!

(the TROJAN PIT CREW applauds for themselves;
HERA applauds, elbowing
Zeus, who has fallen asleep.)

AUTOS: but(he)stepped on Telphousa(marshy-
bog at peak-perfection of nature-
growing-life at-a-distance);

βῆς δ᾽ ἐπὶ Τελφούσης:

NAUSIKAA: and clearly alive;

HOMER: all, one-by-one, (he)caused to touch
(to)by(for)many-nourishing earth(chthonos).

πάντας ἐπασσυτέρους πέλασε χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ.

NAUSIKAA: o lady Hera, arent you impressed?

AUTOS: there(for)by(to)you(this-she)(o satiety, loathing,
weariness)is pleased, (the)place(country-space)(the north-
west-wind)un-harmed(un-hurt, gentle, doing-no-harm)
to make-ready(build-work,

a)temple-dwelling and(indeed)sacred-woody(and with-tree-
like-markings)groves;

τόθι τοι ἅδε χῶρος ἀπήμων
245 τεύξασθαι νηόν τε καὶ ἄλσεα δενδρήεντα:

NAUSIKAA: in other words, lady Hera looks impressed;

HOMER: but seeing him, killing(destroying)(slaying)
from(his)strong bow the Trojan battalions,
the lord of men, (o)Agamemnon
, rejoiced;

τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν γήθησεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων

τόξου ἄπο κρατεροῦ Τρώων ὀλέκοντα φάλαγγας:

NAUSIKAA: but the west-north-wind trades seeing-kings;

AUTOS: but(you)stood very(underhanded-secretly)near,

NAUSIKAA: he was squeezing-hugging-throttling-chhh,

AUTOS: to(her)self and(indeed)you spoke-through
(to)her the(muthos)story-word;

( στῆς δὲ μάλ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπες: )

NAUSIKAA: that was the sound of choking.

APOLLO: Telphousa, here(there)(surely-needful-binding)wed be minded
(exercising-understanding-intelligence-feeling-sense-sensibility-thought)

NAUSIKAA: hes good at lists

APOLLO: to make-ready(build-work)(a)roundly-beautiful temple-dwelling
of human beings(and household-useful)-oracle-(chresterion),

NAUSIKAA: didnt you hear me say were choking?

APOLLO: which(for)by(to)me always(there)here(they)will(carry-
lead)bring perfect(full-complete)hekatombs(hundred-
oxen-offerings-from-afar)(to-for-by-tombs),

‘Τελφοῦσ᾽, ἐνθάδε δὴ φρονέω περικαλλέα νηὸν
ἀνθρώπων τεῦξαι χρηστήριον, οἵτε μοι αἰεὶ
ἐνθάδ᾽ ἀγινήσουσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας,

NAUSIKAA: hes being-minded by hekatombs;

APOLLO: and as many as have(hold)(by holding)the fat(plump)Peloponnesus,
and as many as(hold)(fat-plump, romantically-remembered)Europe,

NAUSIKAA: (are those the only places you know?)

APOLLO: and as many as hold the Americas, earth-being-full of earths, North
and rugged South, and as many as hold Asia, fat(plump)mask-famous;
and Africa, surely(indeed)perhaps, its then-and-there to you someday;
and forgetting neither Antarctica, may she(to)by(for)ice-be-held,
nor Australia, of the-dreaming-fame)and(indeed)throughout the sea-
surrounded(oft-forgotten)isles, where wind and sea mix many names,

NAUSIKAA: whereas it minds-me of the cows;

APOLLO: that so many will consult(inquire)(use it)(seek it)(need-
lack and make-use of it)(experience)(suffer)(study)(treat,
entreat, make deals with it);

250 ἠμὲν ὅσοι Πελοπόννησον πίειραν ἔχουσιν
ἠδ᾽ ὅσοι Εὐρώπην τε καὶ ἀμφιρύτας κατὰ νήσους,
χρησόμενοι:

NAUSIKAA: hes being-minded of the milk — wait
a minute, how can he answer all these consultations,
if he doesnt even know all the continents?
hey you know what, we were thinking,
this job seems really large; maybe
we should ask the Pope? this seems
like a Pope-level situation; or like
the Dalai Lama? ah —

(ZEUS, snortling, wakes from nap — )

NAUSIKAA: its your first transmission, o lord —

ZEUS: but(o)Poseidon(he will let go —
he will let flow — he will let throw —
or will you free yourself from —

NAUSIKAA: it sounds pretty garbled —

ZEUS: )his gall(bile — bitter anger — wrath)

NAUSIKAA: but not in a good way —

ZEUS: for(indeed)some(he — alone)wouldnt be able( —
receive, you — the dyad-set-against —
was meeting — or encountering —
or accepted to share the wholes — )

NAUSIKAA: theres a dyad-set-against sharing the wholes

ZEUS: set against(the)will(of)all immortal goddesses —
and gods( — against all immortal seeings —
)to quarrel(contend — compete —
dispute — )alone —

Ποσειδάων δὲ μεθήσει
ὃν χόλον:
οὐ μὲν γὰρ τι δυνήσεται ἀντία πάντων
ἀθανάτων ἀέκητι θεῶν ἐριδαινέμεν οἶος.

NAUSIKAA: which god is it who chokes the god?

(HERA shows her hands to prove innocence.
ZEUS is snoring again.)

APOLLO: (but)and(to)by(for)which(wholes)we(o possession-
by-wholes)proclaiming-oracles(falling-upon-assailing-
attack)would pronounce(delivery-act)judgments
(declare law and right)(of)unerring-absolute purpose
in(a)fat(plump)temple-dwelling.

τοῖσιν δέ κ᾽ ἐγὼ ( νημερτέα βουλὴν )
πᾶσι θεμιστεύοιμι χρέων ἐνὶ πίονι νηῷ.

NAUSIKAA: if you say so, o lord; were glad
its not our responsibility to deal with
the consequences, in case things
go wrong; unless —

AUTOS: so-speaking, Phoibos(shining-radiant-pure)Apollo
arranged(managed, distributed, set-forth, disposed)
the(wide - spacious)foundations(the root-
bed of the eye)(base of the throat)
broad and very(dyad-secretly)tall
(o-all)unbroken(continuous);

ὣς εἰπὼν διέθηκε θεμείλια Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
255 εὐρέα καὶ μάλα μακρὰ διηνεκές:

NAUSIKAA: so divine,
he didnt even break a sweat;
and yet, ah —

(ZEUS sits bolt upright; its unclear if hes awake.)

NAUSIKAA: o lord, hither comes-and-goes one more delivery —

ZEUS: but he, at least,
on a raft —
(knocked-up —

OMAR: what

ZEUS: hand-to-hand, off-
hand, temporarily — sketchily —
)of many-joints(chains,
imprisonment, bonds, yoke-
straps, halters, mooring-
cables, knots, and gates —

ἀλλ᾽ ὅ γ᾽ ἐπὶ σχεδίης πολυδέσμου

NAUSIKAA: we see its trying to be this mans wife;

ZEUS: and)suffering many miseries —
(mischiefs —
evils —
pains —
woes —

πήματα πάσχων

NAUSIKAA: we see he struggles
to put suffering into words;
lets help —

ZEUS: )would by the twentieth day approach —

NAUSIKAA: as a beggar and a refugee —

ZEUS: Scheria, who holds-fast her stream —

NAUSIKAA: she-of-large-clods — so fertile! —

ZEUS: in the land of the Phaiakians,

NAUSIKAA: hospitable as we really are —

ZEUS: (and)they become near-gods,

NAUSIKAA: we-looking, each into the others eyes —

ZEUS: (and)they would honor him —

NAUSIKAA: with feasts, and theyll hang wreaths —

ZEUS: around(his)heart —

NAUSIKAA: treating him —

ZEUS: as(a)god;

ἤματί κ᾽ εἰκοστῷ Σχερίην ἐρίβωλον ἵκοιτο,
35 Φαιήκων ἐς γαῖαν, οἳ ἀγχίθεοι γεγάασιν,
οἵ κέν μιν περὶ κῆρι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσουσιν,

NAUSIKAA: that improved it; maybe
were not so bad at this;

(ZEUS goes back to sleep.)

AUTOS: but she-seeing-Telphousa seeing(his)(curdled-fig-
juice)heart(inclination)(desire)(depth)(purpose) —

ἣ δὲ ἰδοῦσα
Τελφοῦσα κραδίην

NAUSIKAA: which is complicated, his heart,
and difficult to sort-of pick and fiddle
your way out of, but hes almost too
interested in hekatombs —

AUTOS: was angered(wroth) —

ἐχολώσατο

NAUSIKAA: and after all, she isnt we —

AUTOS: and spoke
(this muthos)story-word;

εἶπέ τε μῦθον:

TELPHOUSA: o bright-radiant-pure(o)lord(who)works-from-afar,

NAUSIKAA: dripping with sarcasm, we empath;

TELPHOUSA: some(o)word-song(to)by(for)your phrenes(heart-mind-trunk-
built-concealed-from-we)we will put(lay-down, roots-
plant, and set-in-place).

‘φοῖβε ἄναξ ἑκάεργε, ( ἔπος τί τοι ἐν φρεσὶ θήσω ).

NAUSIKAA: uh-oh, it seems the worker-from-
afar becomes the worked, o mistress-lady wife —

HERA: already a good(brave-noble)man has been(we have
been)born, who(to)for(by)Argives will be(o)lord —
(you will be over-lorded —
he polishes-smooth —
be polished, you! —
he will bring back —
he will lead-up —
up to the high-sea! —
by bringing-up — celebrating — raising-
up)(as you prepare to set sail — whee! — )

ἤδη ἀνὴρ γέγον᾽ ἐσθλὸς ὃς Ἀργείοισιν ἀνάξει

NAUSIKAA: dont be upset, o shining one; this myth
seems more complete, and the delivery,
she speaks — an(o)else-lord, from(o)else-where —
o lord, are you sure youre the lord you say you are?

(APOLLO stunned,
AUTOS speechless)

TELPHOUSA: hither when(youre following the dyad-
word-song) —

NAUSIKAA: which(indeed)we are —

TELPHOUSA: thither when youre minded(exercising-
thought-understanding-intelligence-feeling-
sense-sensibility)to make-ready(build-
work)(a)roundly-beautiful temple-dwelling;

ἐνθάδ᾽ ἐπεὶ φρονέεις τεῦξαι περικαλλέα νηὸν

(TROJAN PIT CREW applauds and cheers)

NAUSIKAA: o lord, we hear youre being kicked-
out; is it for infidelity?

(APOLLO mortified)

NAUSIKAA: there, there, now, now, o lord;
whats a little thither-hither between islands?
are we right boys?

(TROJAN PIT CREW laughs and cheers)

NAUSIKAA: sweet people;

HERA: (its)Eurustheus(broad-ranging power, breadth
of strengh, expansive might)son of Sthenelos(would-bring
strength)child-descendant of Perseus, (of your race-
stock-kin)(offspring)(clan-house-family)(tribe,
caste, breed, generation)(class-sort-kind)
and hes got)your genes —

Εὐρυσθεὺς Σθενέλοιο πάϊς Περσηϊάδαο σὸν γένος:

NAUSIKAA: its confusing when the god has genes;
well have to map it, but her voice sounds pure
and radiant! so its decided; were inviting her

TELPHOUSA: to be(for)by(to)human beings(an)oracle(chresterion),

ἔμμεναι ἀνθρώποις χρηστήριον,

NAUSIKAA: there, there, Apollo, dont be glum;
its just because(o)Heras not your mum;

HERA: (its)not-too-shabby
for him to be(o)lord(to)for(by)Argives.

οὔ οἱ ἀεικὲς ἀνασσέμεν Ἀργείοισιν.’

NAUSIKAA: everyone loves Argives, right?
lets hear again, how not-too-shabby?

TELPHOUSA: which(o whos)(to)by(for)you always hither
(thither)(they)will carry(lead-bring)perfect(full-
complete)hecatombs(hundred-oxen-offerings-
from-afar)(to-for-by tombs);

οἵτε τοι αἰεὶ ἐνθάδ᾽ ἀγινήσουσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας:

NAUSIKAA: see o lord? o wholes, o always
perfect, never incomplete! and we get
the hekatombs too, a whole island
of happy cows well be;

HOMER: so(she)said, but sharp pain struck-
(raised-typhon-smoke)through(his)deep-
phrenes(heart-stirred-smoulderingly-deep); 

ὣς φάτο, τὸν δ᾽ ἄχος ὀξὺ κατὰ φρένα τύψε βαθεῖαν:

NAUSIKAA: sounds like she dodged a bullet

OMAR: indeed

(TELPHOUSA enters in human form;
she and NAUSIKAA drink fruity cocktails
then dance with the pit crew and sing)

NAUSIKAA and TELPHOUSA:
o whos o whos, o - two - by - four,
bring perfect, perfect, perfect, perfect
perfect h - e - k - a - t - o - m - b - s - !

NAUSIKAA: cant wait to tell Demodokos about this. all sets!

(All set)

from hymn to Apollo
Il. 8.272-279; 19.122-125
Od. 1.77-79; 5.33-36