to Ithaca, but leave them here to grace thine own house, for thou art lord of a wide plain wherein is lotus great plenty, and therein is spear-reed and wheat and rye, and white and spreading barley.  In Ithaca there are no wide courses, nor meadow land at all.  It is a pasture-land of goats, and more pleasant in my sight than one that pastureth horses; for of the isles that lie and lean upon the sea, none are fit for the driving of horses, or rich in meadow land, and least of all is Ithaca.’

So spake he, and Menelaus, of the loud war cry, smiled, and caressed him with his hand, and spake and hailed him: 

’Thou art of gentle blood, dear child, so gentle the words thou speakest.  Therefore I will make exchange of the presents, as I may.  Of the gifts, such as are treasures stored in my house, I will give thee the goodliest and greatest of price.  I will give thee a mixing bowl beautifully wrought; it is all of silver, and the lips thereof are finished with gold, the work of Hephaestus; and the hero Phaedimus, the king of the Sidonians, gave it me, when his house sheltered me on my coming thither, and to thee now would I give it.’

Even so they spake one to another, while the guests came to the palace of the divine king.  They drave their sheep, and brought wine that maketh glad the heart of man:  and their wives with fair tire sent them wheaten bread.  Thus were these men preparing the feast in the halls.

But the wooers meantime were before the palace of Odysseus, taking their pleasure in casting of weights and spears, on a levelled place, as heretofore, in their insolence.  And Antinous and god-like Eurymachus were seated there, the chief men of the wooers, who were far the most excellent of all.  And Noemon, son of Phromius, drew nigh to them and spake unto Antinous and questioned him, saying: 

’Antinous, know we at all, or know we not, when Telemachus will return from sandy Pylos?  He hath departed with a ship of mine, and I have need thereof, to cross over into spacious Elis, where I have twelve brood mares with hardy mules unbroken at the teat; I would drive off one of these and break him in.’

So spake he, and they were amazed, for they deemed not that Telemachus had gone to Neleian Pylos, but that he was at home somewhere in the fields, whether among the flocks, or with the swineherd.

Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake to him in turn:  ’Tell me the plain truth; when did he go, and what noble youths went with him?  Were they chosen men of Ithaca or hirelings and thralls of his own?  He was in case to bring even that about.  And tell me this in good sooth, that I may know for a surety:  did he take thy black ship from thee perforce against thy will? or didst thou give it him of free will at his entreaty?

Then Noemon, son of Phromius, answered him saying:  ’I gave it him myself of free will.  What can any man do, when such an one, so bestead with care, begs a favour? it were hard to deny the gift.  The youths who next to us are noblest in the land, even these have gone with him; and I marked their leader on board ship, Mentor, or a god who in all things resembled Mentor.  But one matter I marvel at:  I saw the goodly Mentor here yesterday toward dawn, though already he had embarked for Pylos.’