Characters
- Alcinous — king; husband; kinsman in the Poseidonid line
- Arete — Phaeacian queen; daughter of Rhexenor; wife of Alcinous; counselor
- Lyssa — divine ancestor of the Phaeacian royal house
- Nausicaa — daughter; sends Odysseus to Arete
- Telemachus — suppliant who clasps Arete’s knees
Places
- Alcinous’s palace — scene of the supplication
- Scheria — Phaeacian land
Themes
Narrative
On Scheria, Nausicaa tells Odysseus to pass Alcinous’s throne and clasp the knees of Arete, her mother: among the Phaeacians Arete is honored as no other wife—descended from Poseidon through the same line as Alcinous, wise in judgment, and able to settle quarrels for those she favors. Odysseus does so; Arete asks about his clothes (Nausicaa’s gift) and later, moved by his tales, leads the call for richer gifts. Her authority is domestic and political at once: the stranger’s acceptance runs through the queen.
Catalogue Arete as Homeric Phaeacian queen-counselor, distinct from the broader Scheria hospitality entries.