Athena crowned the man with beauty, head to foot,
made him taller to all eyes, his build more massive,
yes, and down from his brow the great goddess
ran his curls like thick hyacinth clusters
full of blooms. As a master craftsman washes
gold over beaten silver – a man the god of fire
and Queen Athena trained in every fine technique –
and finishes off his latest effort, handsome work…
so she lavished splendor over his head and shoulders now.
He stepped from his bath, glistening like a god.
– Homer
The Odyssey, Book 23, lines 174-183. While a maid bathes Odysseus, Athena removes his beggar disguise and transforms him back to his handsome self. An epic simile compares the goddess to a skilled craftsman working with precious metals and pouring gold over beaten silver to make something beautiful even more so. Odysseus is left shining "like a god."