Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar for Colleges

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[*] 650. -εω verbs in Homer.—a. Hom. rarely contracts εω and εο (except in the participle). In a few cases ευ appears for εο, as ποιεύμην; rarely for εου, as τελεῦσι. When the metre allows either -εε and -εει, or -ει, the open forms are slightly more common. ει is often necessary to admit a word into the verse (as ἡγεῖσθαι, ἐφίλει), and is often found at the verse-end. -έ-ε-αι, -έ-ε-ο, in the 2 sing. mid. may become -εῖαι, -εῖο, or -έαι, -έο, by the expulsion of one ε; as μυ_θεῖαι or μυ_θέαι sayest, αἰδεῖο show regard.

b. νεικείω, τελείω, from -εσ-[ιγλιδε]ω (νεικεσ-, τελεσ-) are older forms than νεικέω, τελέω. See 488 d, 624. θείω, πλείω, πνείω show metrical lengthening (28 D.).

c. On -ημεναι in Hom. see 657.