δορυσσοῦς=“δορυσσόος”, a word used also by Hes. and Aesch. (not Hom.), and usu. rendered “"spear-brandishing."” But this seems to confuse “σεύω” with “σείω”. On the analogy of the Homeric “λαοσσόος”, “"urging on the host"” (epith. of Ares etc.), and the Pindaric “ἱπποσόας”, “"steed-urging,"” δορυσσόος should mean rather “"spearhurling"” (cp. Il. 11.147 “ὅλμον δ᾽ ὣς ἔσσευε κυλίνδεσθαι”, sent him rolling like a ball of stone). “"Charging with the spear"” is less suitable, since the epic “δόρυ” is rather a missile than a cavalry-lance. Ἀμφιάρεως (-uu-, cp. on 1), son of Oecles, “"at once the Achilles and the Calchas of the war"” (as Schneidewin says), is the most pathetic figure of the legend. He foresees the issue; but his wife Eriphylè, the sister of Adrastus, persuades him to go (having been bribed by Polyneices with Harmonia's necklace); and when all the chiefs save Adrastus have fallen, the Theban soil opens, and swallows up Amphiaraus and his chariot: El. 837: Pind. Nem. 9.24: 10. 8. Cp.
. Aesch. makes him the type of ill-fated virtue (Theb. 597). In contrast with the “ὕβρις” of the other chiefs, his “σωφροσύνη” is marked by the absence of any device (“σῆμα”) on his shield (ib. 591, Eur. Phoen. 1112 “ἄσημ᾽ ὅπλα”). The same Greek feeling for a tragic prescience is seen in the story so beautifully told by Herod. (9. 16) of the Persian guest at the banquet of Attagīnus. τὰ πρῶτα μὲν … πρῶτα δέ: the art. is to be repeated with the second clause. For the epanaphora cp. 5: Il. 1.258 “οἳ περὶ μὲν βουλὴν Δαναῶν, περὶ δ᾽ ἐστὲ μάχεσθαι”. οἰωνῶν ὁδοῖς, in respect to the paths of birds of omen, i.e. in applying the rules of augury to their flights. Cp.“ ῾αδραστυς σπεακινγ̓ ποθέω στρατιᾶς ὀφθαλμὸν ἐμᾶς,
ἀμφότερον μάντιν τ᾽ ἀγαθὸν καὶ δουρὶ μάρνασθαι
”
, etc. Quite different is O. T. 311 “ἄλλην μαντικῆς...ὁδόν”, some other way of divination (as distinct from augury).“τύνη δ᾽ οἰωνοῖσι τανυπτερύγεσσι κελεύεις
πείθεσθαι: τῶν οὔ τι μετατρέπω οὐδ᾽ ἀλεγίζω,
εἴτ᾽ ἐπὶ δεξἴ ἴωσι
”
