But Ithaca no level champaign owns, 730 A nursery of goats, and yet a land Fairer than even pastures to the eye. No sea-encircled isle of ours affords Smooth course commodious and expanse of meads, But my own Ithaca transcends them all! He said; the Hero Menelaus smiled, And stroaking tenderly his cheek, replied. Dear youth! thy speech proclaims thy noble blood. I can with ease supply thee from within With what shall suit thee better, and the gift 740 Of all that I possess which most excels In beauty, and the noblest shall be thine. I give thee, wrought elaborate, a cup Itself all silver, bound with lip of gold. It is the work of Vulcan, which to me The Hero Phædimus imparted, King Of the Sidonians, when on my return His house received me. That shall be thy own. Thus they conferr'd; and now the busy train Of menials culinary,[18] at the gate 750 Enter'd of Menelaus, Chief renown'd; They brought him sheep, with heart-ennobling wine, While all their wives, their brows with frontlets bound, Came charg'd with bread. Thus busy they prepared A banquet in the mansion of the King. Meantime, before Ulysses' palace gate The suitors sported with the quoit and spear On the smooth area, customary scene Of all their strife and angry clamour loud. There sat Antinoüs, and the godlike youth 760 Eurymachus, superior to the rest And Chiefs among them, to whom Phronius' son Noëmon drawing nigh, with anxious mien Question'd Antinoüs, and thus began. Know we, Antinoüs! or know we not, When to expect Telemachus at home Again from Pylus? in my ship he went, Which now I need, that I may cross the sea To Elis, on whose spacious plain I feed Twelve mares, each suckling a mule-colt as yet 770 Unbroken, but of which I purpose one To ferry thence, and break him into use. He spake, whom they astonish'd heard; for him They deem'd not to Nelëian Pylus gone, But haply into his own fields, his flocks To visit, or the steward of his swine. Then thus, Eupithes' son, Antinoüs, spake. Say true. When sail'd he forth? of all our youth, Whom chose he for his followers? his own train Of slaves and hirelings? hath he pow'r to effect 780 This also? Tell me too, for I would learn-- Took he perforce thy sable bark away, Or gav'st it to him at his first demand? To whom Noëmon, Phronius' son, replied. I gave it voluntary; what could'st thou, Should such a prince petition for thy bark In such distress? Hard were it to refuse. Brave youths (our bravest youths except yourselves) Attend him forth; and with them I observed Mentor embarking, ruler o'er them all, 790