ᾔχμασας χέρα; The exact sense seems to be, ‘hast thou used an armed hand upon them?’ The acc. “χέρα” is analogous, though not precisely similar, to the cognate accusative in “αἰχμάσαι τάδε” ( Tr. 355, ‘to do those deeds of arms’), and “αἰχμὰς αἰχμάσσουσι” ( Il. 4. 324), ‘they will wield spears.’ The fact that πρὸς stands with dat., and not with acc., shows that the phrase cannot mean, ‘hast thou armed thy hand against them?’ —Musgrave's ᾕμαξας, though specious, is coarser; there is a keen edge in the reference of “ᾔχμασας” to the prowess of a warrior.
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