Odyssey 8.21 · Book 8, lines 21–23
So he would be loved, and win
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ὥς κεν Φαιήκεσσι φίλος πάντεσσι γένοιτο δεινός τʼ αἰδοῖός τε καὶ ἐκτελέσειεν ἀέθλους πολλούς, τοὺς Φαίηκες ἐπειρήσαντʼ Ὀδυσῆος.
so that he might become dear to all the Phaeacians, and formidable and revered, and might accomplish the many contests in which the Phaeacians would make trial of Odysseus.
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The setting
Athena has magnified Odysseus before the gathered Phaeacians. These lines give her reason: to make him both admired and able to win the athletic contests to come.
A note on this passage
The purpose behind the goddess's touch: so that the stranger would be dear to every Phaeacian, and also formidable and worthy of respect, and able to carry off the many contests they were about to set him. In three lines Homer bundles welcome and prowess, and quietly points ahead to the games.
The pairing is deliberate — φίλος, ‘dear,’ and δεινός, ‘formidable.’ Athena arms Odysseus to be liked and to win, because on Scheria the two are the same currency: a guest earns his passage by proving himself. The verb ἐπειρήσαντο, ‘made trial of,’ carries the double sense the book will exploit — the Phaeacians will test him at sport, and in testing him will find out, at last, who he is.
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