A Reading Course in Homeric Greek
12 7. N O T E S
352 ἐπὶ : adv.
356 εὐχετόωντο = εὐχετάοντο by assimilation; see the note at 6. 272, above.
360 κατά : adv.
361 δίπτυχα : Understand κνίσην.
362 λεῖψαι : inf. expressing purpose.
364 κατὰ : adv. ἐκάη : aor. pass. of καίω. σπλάγχνα πάσαντο : πατέομαι often takes the partitive
gen., but here takes an acc. direct object.
365 τἆλλα = τὰ ἄλλα, by crasis (§35). ἀμφ’ : adv., “on both sides.” ἔπειρον shares with
μίστυλλόν the direct object τἆλλα. ὀβελοῖσιν : dat. of means.
366 ἐξέσσυτο is from ἐκ-σεύω.
367 βῆν δ’ ἰέναι : On forms of βαίνω with the inf. of εἶμι, see the note on 6. 15, above.
370 θεοῖσι μετ’ ἀθανάτοισι strictly means “among the immortal gods,” though Odysseus is
not in their company. Scholars have suggested various emendations, but the sense is clear
without them, since γεγώνευν could mean “I made myself heard (among).”
373 μέγα ἔργον : “an enormity”— i.e., a monstrous act.
374 ὠκέα = ὠκεῖα.
375 ὅ = ὅτι (“because” or “seeing that”). ἔκταμεν : an athematic aor. of κτείνω.ὠκέα δ’ Ἠελίῳ Ὑπερίονι ἄγγελος ἦλθε
Λαμπετίη τανύπεπλος, ὅ οἱ βόας ἔκταμεν ἡμεῖς. 375
αὐτίκα δ’ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα χωόμενος κῆρ·αἰέν = αἰεί
ἀμφ-έρχομαι, -ἐλεύσομαι, -ἔλ(υ)θον, -εἰλήλουθα I
come around
δίπτυξ, -υχος [adj.] double
δρέπω, — , δρεψα I break off, I pluck
δρῦς, δρυός [f.] oak
ἔγκατα, -ων [n. pl.] entrails, vitals
ἐκ-τάμνω, — , ἔκ-ταμον I cut (out)
ἕλιξ, -ικος [adj.] with bent horns; sleek
ἐπ-οπτάω I roast
εὐρυμέτωπος, -ον with broad forehead
θερμός, (-ή), -όν hot
κρῖ [indecl. n.] barley
Λαμπετίη, -ης [f.] Lampetia [a nymph]λείβω, — , λεῖψα I pour (a libation)
μέθυ [indecl. n.] mead, wine
μηρ(ι)α, -ων [n. pl.] thigh-bones
μητίομαι, — , μητῑσάμην I devise, I contrive
μιστύλλω I cut into small pieces
νήδυμος, -ον sweet, refreshing
περι-ίστημι, -στήσω, -στῆσα I surround [+ acc.]
σπλάγχνα, -ων [n. pl.] the vitals, the vital organs
τανύπεπλος, -ον with trailing robes
τέρην, -ενος [adj.] soft, tender
ὑψίκομος, -ον with lofty foliage
ὠμο-θετέω, — , ὠμο-θέτην I place pieces of raw
flesh (upon)372f. Odysseus uses the verb ἐμητίσαντο (373) to describe the companions’ action,
which is in direct contrast with his own state of ἄτη, a mental blindness sent
by the gods. A deed produced by μῆτις ought to owe much more to the intellect
than to desire (see note at 300). In fact, the successful implementation of an act of
μῆτις typically requires self-control and the patient postponement of satisfaction.
Here, to be sure, the companions have endured deprivation for a long period
without touching the sacred cattle; they made an effort to live off the sparse non-
taboo food sources on the island (324-332). Yet their slaughter of the god’s cattle
is marked as bad cunning (339), as something done in arrogance (ὑπέρβιον, 379),
and they are condemned for it here as in the poem’s opening lines (1. 7).