Odysseus tries to gain Nausicaa's pity in his speech as she is his only hope in making his way back home. He uses his skill as a diplomatic speaker to appeal to Nausicaa and convince her to take pity on him: 'Princess, I am at your knees. Are you some goddess or mortal woman? If you are one of the gods who live in the wide heaven, it is Artemis... that your beauty grace and stature most remind me' by comparing her to the goddess Artemis, Odysseus is complimenting Nausicaa on the highest possible level, comparing her 'beauty, grace and stature' to one of the immortal gods. Odysseus employes flattery to encourage her to take mercy on him by presenting himself as an amiable character, therefore making Nausicaa more susceptible to feeling pity for him as he is a good person. Also, the imagery of the supplication 'I am at your knees' creates a sense of desperation and shows how dire a situation Odysseus must have been in to beg for help in this way, leading the princess to show sympathy as it was a pius obligation in Homeric society to tend to any man that sought help on their knees.
Similarly, Odysseus aids Nausicaa in characterising him as a good person by praising her in aspects of her life that were highly regarded for young women at the time: 'then thrice-blessed indeed are your father and your lady mother; thrice-blessed your brothers too... but he is most blessed of them all who with his wedding gifts can win you and take you home as a bride' Through the repetition of 'thrice-blessed' Odysseus emphasises how her family consider her a prized daughter, a great compliment for a young girl living in the homeric society. Furthermore, the use of the superlative 'most blessed' is employed to convey the notion that she would make the perfect bride. This would flatter Nausicaa greatly as she wishes to find a suitable husband. All these compliments serve to give her a good impression of Odysseus, therefore making her more susceptible to pitying him.
In contrast with the adulation, Odysseus also uses an anecdotal element to the speech to explain the harsh conditions he has endured to travel to the land of the Phaeacians: 'though my sufferings are serious enough...after nineteen days, I made my escape from the wine-dark sea' Odysseus employs the metaphor of the 'wine-dark' sea to connote to suffering and pain by creating an image of the sea as blood. He uses this as a symbol for his suffering, and re-iterates the severity of the situation by expressing how long he had to endure those conditions for: 'nineteen days'. By recalling the terrible situation through which he has come on to the shores of Scheria, Odysseus conjures pity in Nausicaa by creating awe within her for the gravity of awful conditions he has lived through.
In addition to this, Odysseus attempts to gain the pity of Nausicaa by displaying his desperation: 'I have no hope that my troubles will come to an end; the gods have plenty in store for me before that can be. Pity me, princess.' By using the negative 'no hope', Odysseus demonstrates his despair as he does not believe that he will fare well even after the ordeal he suffered at sea. Moreover, he introduces the idea of fate, that he cannot avoid his misgrievances much as he tries; this causes Nausicaa to pity him as she knows that his future suffering is inevitable. Odysseus also utilizes the final minor sentence 'Pity me, princess' as a final supplication for sympathy. By referring to her as 'princess' he is also gaining her respect by addressing her by her appropriate title, making her more likely to appreciate his last plea for mercy.
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