写在前面
下图来自网络上对《真实的幸福》一书（by Martin Seligman）中美德的综合整理，本文将结合此图，以浅层的视角简单探索Odysseus与Alcinous的美德体现。
这张表格的内容很是丰富，但是要在里面挑选Odysseus和Alcinous，却也着实犯愁，不知道哪些更为合适、贴切。难免有所不当，还望见谅。
对Alcinous这一人物，我从上述表格挑选了以下特征：
诚实，热情；爱，善良，社交智慧；领导力；社交智慧；谨慎。
【具体分析见下文】
This stranger here, our guest—
I don’t know who he is, or whether he comes
from sunrise lands or the western lands of evening,
but he has come in his wanderings to my palace;
he pleads for passage, he begs we guarantee it.
So now, as in years gone by, let us press on
and grant him escort. No one, I tell you, no one
who comes to my house will languish long here,
heartsick for convoy home.
Alcinous的话中表明他不知道Odysseus，也并未得知他从何处来；但他能够无条件向他施以援手，能去尽己所能帮助他，同大家伙一起满足他的要求，解决他的困境。而且，Alcinous的行为是没有针对性的，他对任何人“comes to my house”，都会给予帮助，帮助他们渡过难关。这善良且无私奉献的品质，拥有这般助人为乐的热忱着实让人钦佩。尤为赞叹Alcinous所说的“No one, I tell you, no one who comes to my
house will languish long here, heartsick for convoy home.”相信这句话如今能做到之人更是寥寥无几，更何况是noone。心中能容纳任何人，对前来之人总能让他们舒心、安乐和享受。足见其好客之道，待人之热情，其地民风之淳朴。
但是这样的行为是否是过于泛爱，对往来之人不加区分，也没有针对性。无论何人，均会予以援手，想想这不免会让有心人士所利用；况且耗费自己较多的人力、物力，所做的是并无对自己多大益处。可能想的过于狭隘了，我们所处的时代还是与Odysseus有所不同吧。
Let all hands lash their oars to the thwarts thendisembark,
come to my house and fall in for a banquet, quickly.
I’ll lay on a princely feast for all. So then,
these are the orders I issue to our crews.
For the rest, you sceptered princes here,
you come to my royal halls so we can give
this stranger a hero’s welcome in our palace—
no one here refuse.
Alcinous为了帮助Odysseus能够坐船回家，征募52名镇上最好的年轻水手，且还要那种有实力的who’ve proved their strength before在这里Alcinous对Odysseus可谓是尽心尽力，邀请这些水手到他的家中来享受盛宴，这大概是想犒劳这些人士，大概是希望他们能为这位陌生人更加尽心的付出，对他们也是委以重任。而且对这位陌生人予以英雄般得到欢迎，也叫来了Demodocus来为宴会增添色彩，让人们得以尽情得享受盛宴。这些种种，充分体现着Alcinous的领导力，他的行为举止也体现着亲民、仁爱之心，而他的气概更是令人钦佩。此外，在KING的盛宴中，不仅有群羊佳肴，更有野猪和牛肉，让人尽享盛宴之美味，让宾客们乐在其中。
The king slaughtered a dozen sheep to feed his guests,
eight boars with shining tusks and a pair of shamblingoxen.
These they skinned and dressed, and then laid out a feast
to fill the heart with savor.
在这里我又不免和我认知中的KING又不尽相同，在我认知中，KING拥有者绝对的领导权和统治权，让子民干什么是义务，断然不会邀请他们来享受盛宴，而这盛宴往往也只有那些将领才有的。Alcinous的这些行为大大突破我对KING的认知。
By now we’ve had our fill of food well-shared
and the lyre too, our loyal friend at banquets.
Now out we go again and test ourselves in contests,
games of every kind—so our guest can tell his friends,
when he reaches home, how far we excel the world
at boxing, wrestling, jumping, speed of foot.
读到此处，不免被Alcinous暖到了。在众人均没有察觉Odysseus的情况，他竟然察觉到了，而且所做的事更是不让Odysseus继续沉浸在悲伤之中，所以Alcinous停罢唱歌，让大家到去参加竞技，向这位陌生人Odysseus看看他们的竞技特长。这体现着Alcinous洞察力之强，对待Odysseus更是关心入微。
“Stranger,
friend—nothing you say among us seems ungracious.
You simply want to display the gifts you’re born with,
stung that a youngster marched up to you in the games,
mocking, ridiculing your prowess as no one would
who had some sense of fit and proper speech.
…
So our guest can tell his friends,
when he reaches home, how far we excel the world
in sailing, nimble footwork, dance and song.
在Odysseus奋起反击后，众人缄默；Alcinous站出来化解了尴尬场面，而且也为Odysseus充分考虑，说他并不是无理，只是讲了自己与生俱来的本领，来回击那些冒犯之人，这并无不妥。Alcinous竟能如此为Odysseus考虑。同时也转移了话题，让这位陌生的朋友Odysseus离开后能像大家多多讲述他们这里的美好，善于航海，能歌善舞等等。Alcinous在此之后，又邀Odysseus去听Demodocus的歌唱，充分体现着他的社交智慧和为人处世之道，做人谨慎。
Hear me, my lords and captains of Phaeacia,
our guest is a man of real taste, I’d say. Come,
let’s give him the parting gifts a guest deserves.
...
Gather the gifts together, hurry, so our guest
can have them all in hand when he goes to dine,
his spirit filled with joy.
As for Broadsea, let him make amends,
man-to-man, with his words as well as gifts.
His first remarks were hardly fit to hear.”
Alcinous真是为这位远处而来的Odysseus关怀备至，还为他准备临行的礼物。以及让Broadsea为他之前说的话做出了道歉，真是“严以律己，宽以待人”，对待朋友的亲切关怀，对待自己人的严格。
But his weeping went unmarked by all the others;
only Alcinous, sitting close beside him,
noticed his guest’s tears,
heard the groan in the man’s labored breathing
and said at once to the master mariners around him,
…
Let Demodocus rest his ringing lyre now—
this song he sings can hardly please us all.
Ever since our meal began and the stirring bard
launched his song, our guest has never paused
in his tears and throbbing sorrow.
Clearly grief has overpowered his heart.
Break off this song! Let us all enjoy ourselves,
the hosts and guest together. Much the warmer way.
All these things are performed for him, our honored guest,
the royal send-off here and gifts we give in love.
Treat your guest and suppliant like a brother:
又一次，在众人均没有察觉Odysseus的情况，Alcinous察觉到了Odysseus沉浸在悲伤之中，所以Alcinous让Demodocus停罢唱歌，不让这歌继续让Odysseus低落，让大家自己娱乐消遣，放开玩。同时也让大家带着Odysseus，对待兄弟般，可见着Alcinous洞察力之强，对待Odysseus更是关心入微。
对Odysseus这一人物，我从上述表格挑选了以下特征：
勇敢，诚实；善良；谨慎，自制；
【具体分析见下文】
在Demodocus的歌唱着那些著名的圣战士，那场特洛伊战争的时候，让一旁Odysseus不免回想起过去，过往的种种似乎又浮现于自己的脑海之后。战争结束后，自己更是常年漂泊在外，内心的惆怅油然而生，其内心的痛苦更是流露在脸上，只是在众人面前不得不有所掩饰，但是并未过多压抑，而是真性情流露。但这里可以看出Odysseus真性情、真男人。
That was the song the famous harper sang
but Odysseus, clutching his flaring sea-blue cape
in both powerful hands, drew it over his head
and buried his handsome face,
ashamed his hosts might see him shedding tears
…
But soon as the bard would start again, impelled to sing
by Phaeacia’s lords, who reveled in his tale,
again Odysseus hid his face and wept.
Odysseus情感流露，只是默默地在掩饰，并未在众人面前太过流露，这点是可以理解，毕竟Odysseus也曾驰骋于战场，浴血奋战过，怎能过分流露情感呢，而且是这种悲伤的情感呢？所以，我觉得这处地方对Odysseus描写得如此细腻，也是突出了在众人为有所察觉下，Alcinous却能观察至微，却能发现Odysseus的内心悲伤之情。
“why do you taunt me so with such a challenge?
…
“Indecent talk, my friend.
You, you’re a reckless fool—I see that.
…
Just like you, my fine, handsome friend. Not even
a god could improve those lovely looks of yours
but the mind inside is worthless.
Your slander fans the anger in my heart!
…
Your insults
cut to the quick—you rouse my fighting blood!”
在一心想着回家的Odysseus，竞技也没有激起他的兴趣。原本对别人的挑衅本并未放在心上，也不想作为回应，只是单纯的表达自己的想法。但面对别人的一再刺激，让他感到收到侵犯，而他准备奋起接受挑战时的一番陈词，讲述自己的能力，这些令众人无话可说。这也说了Odysseus是一个有能力，敢于去为自己奋起反击的人。
That was the song the famous harper sang
and Odysseus retished every note as the islanders,
the lords of the long oars and master mariners rejoiced.
…
King Alcinous, shining among your island people,
you boasted Phaeacia’s dancers are the best—
they prove your point—I watch and I’m amazed!”
Odysseus认真的听了Demodocus的歌唱，并且对Alcinous赞美了一番，这也让Alcinous欢欣雀跃，这是Odysseus，相信也是能得到这位陌生朋友的赞赏内心难免激动吧。
Tactful Odysseus answered him in kind:
“And a warm farewell to you, too, my friend.
May the gods grant you good fortune—
may you never miss this sword, this gift you give
with such salutes. You’ve made amends in full.”
Odysseus接受Broadsea的道歉，但并未收取那把剑。因而，Odysseus并非无理取闹或是心胸狭隘的人，相反，相对较为豁达，处世比较老练吧。
Nausicaa, daughter of generous King Alcinous,
may Zeus the Thunderer, Hera’s husband, grant it so—
that I travel home and see the dawn of my return-
Even at home I’ll pray to you as a deathless goddess
all my days to come. You saved my life, dear girl.
对于Nausicaa表达了自己的感激之情，并且将为她祈祷，真心地祝愿她。Odysseus是一个知恩、感恩的人。
I respect you, Demodocus, more than any man alive—
surely the Muse has taught you, Zeus’s daughter,
or god Apollo himself. How true to life,
all too true … you sing the Achaeans’ fate,
all they did and suffered, all they soldiered through,
as if you were there yourself or heard from one who was.
…
That was the song the famous harper sang
but great Odysseus melted into tears,
running down from his eyes to wet his cheeks …
as a woman weeps, her arms flung round her darling husband,
a man who fell in battle, fighting for town and townsmen,
trying to beat the day of doom from home and children.
Odysseus对Demodocus的歌唱赞美了一番，说他的歌如此真性情，贴近生活，如此的真实。这在之后Odysseus再次沉浸悲伤之中则是更好地体现，Demodocus的歌如此的动容，不只一次让他落下了眼泪。
后记
读罢此篇，脑海中对于Odysseus的哭泣画面尤为印象深刻。Odysseus的哭泣，出现两次，而且每次的出现和两个人物有关联，一是盲人歌手Demodocus，另一位则是Phaeacia’sking, Alcinous。Odysseus的真情流露是因为盲人歌手Demodocus的歌唱中让Odysseus想起过往的种种，在特洛伊战争中的十年，而且在返途中的岁月，勾起自己多年漂泊在外、返家不成的怅惘之情，内心的五味陈杂只得以眼泪诉说。当然盲人歌手Demodocus的歌中与着Odysseus的实际是紧紧贴切着，唱特洛伊战争和其中的勇士英雄；更值得说的是，Odysseus对盲人歌手Demodocus是赞叹的，如此地真实，让Odysseus真情落泪。我们Phaeacia’sking Alcinous对待这位陌生朋友Odysseus更是令人钦羡，在不知道对方的任何信息，却能为他真心付出，予以无微不至的照顾。在众人无所察觉下，Alcinous注意到Odysseus的落泪，第一次是以竞技赛场转移，让Demodocus停罢歌唱，让Odysseus感受Phaeacia的竞技特色，了解Phaeacia；第二次则是让大家一起为Odysseus排忧，让他远离悲伤，待之如兄弟，其情之真切，令人赞叹。
