Aubusson tapestry from the 17th century - Le Banquet d'Alcinous
The Banquet d'Alcinous, a French mythological tapestry, from the History of Ulysses, Aubusson, woven in wool and silk, fresh colours, after the cardboard of Isaac Moillon in the 17th century.
Alcinoos was the son of Nausithoos, the son of Poseidon and Periboea.
But Conon the grammarian tells us that he was the son of Phaeax, the eponymous son of the Phaeacians, the son of Poseidon and Corcyra. He points out that when Phaeax died Alcinoos kept the kingdom and his other son, Locros, moved to Italy where he married Laurina, the daughter of Latinos, to found the colony of the Locres.
With his wife Aretè, daughter of Rhexenor, his three (or five) sons and his daughter Nausicaa, Alcinoos granted hospitality to strangers in difficulty, and especially to shipwrecked people.
In his palace, the Argonauts stopped and met Medea who was forcibly returning to his father Aeetes. Taken as a judge, Alcinoos decided to give Medea to her father on condition that she was still a virgin and if not, Jason could bring her with him.
Arétè hastened to make the two young people meet in an underground and then she organized a wedding and thus avoided Medea the punishment that awaited her in Colchis. The Colchidian ambassadors preferred to settle in Corcyre rather than go and face Aeetes' anger when they returned.
The Argonauts set sail again with Medea on board.
Ulysses in the Alcinoos Palace
Marc CHAGALL
The most famous of his hosts, Ulysses, found refuge in his home after a storm that had thrown him, destitute of everything, on the shores of the island. Nausicca took him to his father's palace where he told of his journey. Alcinoos comforted the heroes and offered him the products of his magical gardens where the rarest fruits ripened all year round.
Despite the nascent love Nausicaa had for him, Ulysses decided to leave for his homeland. Alcinoos had a magical ship - without oars or rudders - specially equipped for him.
And "Nausicaa with white arms" greeted Ulysses for the last time:
"Hello, my host! May you remember me, when you are in your homeland, to whom you owe your life."
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