Naubolus

Naubolus is a Phaeacian nobleman known only through his son Euryalus, who plays a significant role in the athletic contests that King Alcinous stages for Odysseus in Book 8. Though Naubolus himself never appears or speaks in the poem, his name is recorded in the catalogue of Phaeacian competitors who gather to display their prowess in boxing, wrestling, jumping, and discus-throwing. The list includes Euryalus, described as the son of Naubolus, who is noted as being like Mars himself and the best-looking man among the Phaeacians except for Alcinous's son Laodamas. This single genealogical detail establishes Naubolus's place within the Phaeacian aristocracy, a people whom the poem presents as near kin to the gods, exceptionally skilled in seafaring, and living in a state of almost divine prosperity on the island of Scheria.

Role in the Athletic Contest and the Insult to Odysseus

Euryalus, Naubolus's son, becomes the catalyst for one of the most dramatic moments in the Phaeacian episode. After the initial rounds of sport, Laodamas suggests that the stranger—Odysseus, still in disguise—should compete. When Odysseus demurs, citing his weariness and sorrow, Euryalus delivers a stinging rebuke, accusing him of being a grasping trader rather than an athlete. This taunt provokes Odysseus to seize a discus far heavier than those used by the Phaeacians and hurl it far beyond any previous mark, astonishing the onlookers. The insult and Odysseus's response thus pivot the narrative from mere entertainment toward a revelation of the hero's latent power, and it is Euryalus's words that force Odysseus to assert his identity as a warrior of surpassing skill.

The Apology and Gift

After Odysseus's display, King Alcinous rebukes Euryalus for his rudeness and orders him to make a formal apology and a present. Euryalus complies by placing his own bronze sword—with a silver hilt and a scabbard of newly sawn ivory—into Odysseus's hands, saying, "Good luck to you, father stranger; if anything has been said amiss may the winds blow it away with them, and may heaven grant you a safe return." Odysseus accepts the gift and replies with a gracious wish for Euryalus's happiness. This exchange, mediated by the authority of the king, restores social harmony and demonstrates the Phaeacian code of hospitality, where an offense against a guest must be rectified through a tangible offering. Naubolus's name, though never spoken in this scene, is the genealogical anchor that gives Euryalus his standing: the son of a noble house whose misstep requires a princely recompense.

Narrative Significance

Naubolus functions as a genealogical marker rather than an active character. His sole appearance in the poem is within the list of Phaeacian competitors, a passage that serves to populate Alcinous's court with named aristocrats and to lend credibility to the athletic contest. The catalogue itself, with its roll of twelve competitors including Acroneos, Ocyalus, Elatreus, and others, creates a sense of a fully realized society. Within this framework, Naubolus's name provides the patronymic that identifies Euryalus and situates him among the leading families of Scheria. The episode as a whole—the insult, the throw, the apology, and the gift—advances the theme of xenia (hospitality) and prepares the ground for Odysseus's eventual revelation of his identity to the Phaeacians. Naubolus, though absent from the action, is thus a necessary part of the social architecture that makes the drama of the games intelligible.