Thomas W. Allen, E. E. Sikes, Commentary on the Homeric Hymns

[342] εὐεύ: first here, for the Homeric “ἰθύ”; cf. 355 “εἰς Πύλον εὐθὺς ἐλῶντα”, which confirms “Πύλονδ̓” in this line.

δοιά: Barnes' conjecture (usually accepted) rests upon 349, but there, and in 225, “τοῖα” has not been corrupted. In J. H. S. xv. p. 265 “δῖα” was proposed; there is, however, no good reason why “δοιά” should not be accepted. The reading of p (“δϊα”) may be paralleled by Od. 4.526, where one MS. has “διά” for “δοιά”. The sense is “there were double footprints, wonderful,” i.e. those of the cows (“μέν” 344), and of Hermes (“δ̓” 346). This was the view of Hermann and Schneidewin. The “ἴχνια” are therefore the footprints of both Hermes and the cows; Gemoll's remark, that “πέλωρα” is only applied to the tracks of Hermes, prejudges the question.

345, 346. The construction is intricate, and there is some probability in Schneidewin's lacuna; he conjectures “ἴχνἰ ἀπέστραπτο” in the missing line (cf. 76). But the passage may be translated as it stands: the dative “τῇσιν βουσίν” is “ethic,” loosely equivalent to the genitive, but rather belonging to the whole sentence than to “βήματα” (see Goodwin G. G. § 184. 5): “As for the cows, the black dust held and shewed their footprints facing towards the meadow,” i.e. the pasture from which they had been stolen; cf. 221 “πάλιν τέτραπται ἐς ἀσφοδελὸν λειμῶνα”. The construction “ἀντία ἐς” is unique, for Od. 17.333 is no parallel, but cf. “ἐναντίον πρός” Plat. Phaed. 60 B and “ἄχρι, πέραν εἰς” (“ἄχρι” and “πέραν” with gen. are analogous to “ἀντίος” with dat.); possibly the meaning is not simply “facing towards,” but “reversed, in the direction of.” Cf. 77 “ἀντία ποιήσας ὁπλάς”, “reversing the feet.” On “κόνι_ς” see Schweizer I. F. x. 205 n.