[41] ἀΝαπΗλ́ησας: usually considered vox nihili, although retained by some of the older commentators, who explained it variously (=“ἀμπεπαλών” from *“ἀναπηλεῖν”, for “ἀναπάλλειν”, Ilgen, as “θηλεῖν θάλλειν”, cf. Herwerden Lex. s.v.). The difficulty is increased by the uncertainty of the sense required for the participle: it may express either the preliminaries to killing the tortoise (i.e. throwing it upon its back), or the actual killing. Line 42 does not settle the question, as the process of cutting out the flesh might be either the cause of death, or might refer to the subsequent clearance of the flesh from the shell.
None of the emendations can be entertained. “ἀναπιλήσας” has found favour; “πιλεῖν” is used of pounding a polypus, to make it tender (Arist. fr. 235; and the verb is epic, cf. Apoll. Arg. 4.678). But the proper meaning of “πιλεῖν” is to “compress” or “squeeze,” e.g. “knead” bread, Anth. Plan. iv. 337, and this is quite inapplicable to a tortoise.This text is part of:
The Homeric Hymns, edited, with preface, apparatus criticus, notes, and appendices. Thomas W. Allen. E. E. Sikes. London. Macmillan. 1904.
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