[109]
[115] ψεῦδος, adverbial accusative, equivalent to “ψευδῶς”, ‘falsely.’
[116] ἀντί νυ πολλῶν ἀνδρῶν, ‘equal to many men,’ ‘a match for many men.’
[122] ἀπύρους, ‘that fire has not yet touched,’ as is proved by 23.268.— A Homeric τάλαντον of gold was a weight much less in value than the Attic talent of silver; the latter was equivalent to about $1,080 in our money. The value of the Homeric talent, however, although it must have been vastly less than this, is unknown. Two talents of gold are mentioned as a fourth prize in connection with the chariot race, 23.269, while the third is a caldron untouched by fire, and the fifth an urn. What may be a similar caldron is mentioned, 23.885, as equivalent in value to an ox.
[125] γένοιτο, protasis of the less vivid future condition.
τόσσα of this line is correlative with “ὅσσα”, l. 127.—Line 126, which awkwardly interrupts the construction, is rejected by some editors.[127] ἠνείκαντο, φέρω. Cf. “ἐνείκω”, Z 258.
[129] αὐτός, Achilles.
[130] ἐνίκων φῦλα γυναικῶν, ‘surpassed womankind,’ at the time of the division.
[131] μέτα, ‘among them,’ counting as eighth, however, and not included in the seven, as is proved by T 246; further, the seven were Lesbians, while Briseis was from Lyrnessus, a town of Mysia (B 689, 690).
ἀπηύρων, § 63.4.[132] ἔπι, ‘besides.’
[133] τῆς, equivalent to Attic “αὐτῆς”, ‘her,’ possessive genitive.
[138] εἰσελθὼν κτλ.: as our text is punctuated, this may be taken to mean ‘entering into the council of chiefs, when we Achaeans apportion the booty.’ If a comma were placed after “εἰσελθών” (the common punctuation), and that after “νηησάσθω” were removed, the participle might be taken with the preceding verb thus: ‘entering into the city, let him load his ship’ etc.
[141] εἴ κεν followed by optative, of a remote future supposition, has been observed A 60 also; cf. § 208
Ἄργος ... Ἀχαιικόν, the Peloponnesus; see note on A 79. οὖθαρ ἀρούρης, imitated in Vergil's “ubere glaebae,” Aen. I, 531, and III, 164; “divitis uber agri,” VII, 262.[146] τάων, genitive plural of “ἥ”, § 115.
[147] ἔπι, ‘besides.’ Not only may Achilles neglect the custom of making presents to the bride's father and so possess his bride free (“ἀνάεδνον”, l. 146), but Agamemnon will of his own accord give rich presents along with her as peace-offerings (“μείλια”). See note on X 472.
[153] νέαται (= Attic “ἔσχαται”) Πύλου, ‘on the borders of Pylos.’
[155] θεὸν ὥς, § § 37; 123, 5.
τιμήσουσιν with κε, § 190.[156] τελέουσι, future indicative, § 151. The people will honor him, like a god, with offerings (“δωτίνῃσι”, l. 155) of first-fruits, and they will pay rich taxes (“λιπαρὰς θέμιστας”) imposed on them by royal command.
[157] μεταλλήξαντι, i. e. “μετά” + “λήξαντι”, § 39.
[158] δμηθήτω, δαμνάω or “δάμνημι”. A scholiast calls attention to a similar passage from Aeschylus:
‘For Death alone of the gods loves not offerings; nor by sacrifice nor by libation may you accomplish aught, nor has he altar nor is he hymned; and from him alone of divinities Persuasion holds aloof.’“μόνος θεῶν γὰρ Θάνατος οὐ δώρων ἐρᾷ:
οὐδ᾽ ἄν τι θύων οὐδ᾽ ἐπισπένδων ἄνοις,
οὐδ᾽ ἔστι βωμὸς οὐδὲ παιανίζεται:
μόνου δὲ Πειθὼ δαιμόνων ἀποστατεῖ.
”Fragment 161 (Wecklein)
