A Reading Course in Homeric Greek, Book 2

A Reading Course in Homeric Greek

124. NOTES

325 μῆνα ... πάντ’ : acc. of extent of time. See §18 in Book 1. ἄη : 3 sg. impf. ἄημι.

326 γίνετ’ : See the note on 12. 87, above.

329 ἐξέφθιτο : 3 sg. pf. pass. of ἐκ-φθίνω.

330 ἐφέπεσκον : iterative of ἐφ-έπω.

331 ἰχθῦς ὄρνιθάς τε : in apposition with ἄγρην in 330.

333 δὴ τότ’ refers to the moment identified in 329 (ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ).

335 ἤλυξα : aor. of ἀλύσκω.

336 ἐπὶ : adv. (“at hand” or “near by.”)

337 ἠρώμην : impf. of ἀράομαι.

338f. Cf. 10. 31ff., where the companions likewise conceive a βουλὴ κακή (46) after Odysseus

falls asleep.

340 κέκλυτέ : See the note on 12. 271, above.

341 στυγεροὶ : in predicative position; understand εἰσί. θάνατοι : “modes of death.”

342 θανέειν and ἐπισπεῖν are infinitives used as nouns, and are modified by the predicate

adjective οἴκτιστον; understand ἐστί.

344 ῥέξομεν : aor. subj. (hortatory) with the thematic vowel not lengthened.

347 θεῖμεν : 1 pl. aor. opt of τίθημι (§485 in Book 1); this clause is the apodosis of the Fut. Less

Vivid condition begun in 345 (εἰ δέ κεν εἰς Ἰθάκην ἀφικοίμεθα). On the Fut. Less Vivid, see

§285a in Book 1. The fut. ind. τεύξομεν (347) suggests more certainty.

349 ἐπὶ : adv.

350 ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσαι : “to lose (my) life.”

ἄγαλμα, -ατος [n.] a delight, a treasure

ἄγκιστρον, -ου [n.] hook

ἄγρη, -ης [f.] chase, hunt

ἀλητεύω I wander

ἄλληκτος, -ον unceasing

ἅπαξ [adv.] once, once for all

ἀπο-στείχω, — , -στίχον I go away

γναμπτός, -ή, -όν bent, supple

δηθά [adv.] long, for a long time

ἔγκιστρον, -ου [n.] hook

ἐκ-φθίνω I use up

ἐξ-άρχω I make a beginning of [+ gen.]

ἐπι-πείθομαι I yield, I obey

ἐρῆμος, -η, -ον deserted, desolate

ἐρυθρός, -ή, -όν ruddy, red

Εὖρος, -ου [m.] Eurus [East Wind]

ἤϊα, -ων [n. pl.] provisions

λῑμός, -οῦ [m.] hunger

νίζω, νίψα, νίψα I wash

ὀρθόκραιρος, -η, -ον straight-horned

στρεύγομαι I waste away

χαίνω, — , χάνον I yawn, I open the mouth

339ff. κακῆς ἐξάρχετο βουλῆς : Eurylochus takes the lead in giving bad counsel to

the companions. This βουλὴ κακή is a virtual synonym for ἀτασθαλίη κακή,

consistent with Finkelberg’s analysis (see note at 300). Indeed, Eurylochus’

speech is well-crafted and clever, as discussed by A. Heubeck in his note on 12.

340-51 (A. Heubeck and A. Hoekstra, A Commentary on Homer’s Odyssey, Vo l.

II, Books ix-xvi [Oxford: Clarendon Press 1989]).