[235] περὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων. Cp. Od.4. 231“ἰητρὸς δὲ ἕκαστος ἐπιστάμενος περὶ πάντων”
“ἀνθρώπων Od., 17. 388 ἀλλ̓ αἰεὶ χαλεπὸς περὶ πάντων εἶς μνηστήρων”“δμωσὶν Ὀδυσσῆος περὶ δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ ἐμοί”. The genitive must not be taken as directly governed by “περί” as a preposition, which should rather be regarded as an adverb = imprimis. ‘“Is enim genitivus, quem apte dicimus genitivum comparationis, e notione excellendi quae inest in particula “περί” sponte ac libenter quasi profluit. Quo fit ut isti genitivi, “πάντων, ἄλλων”, facillime socientur cum particula “περί” ubi praestantia significatur”’ (vide KuhlJ. , de particulae “περί” forma et usu Homerico). Translate, ‘who have taken him from our sight’ (put him out of sight) ‘utterly, as no man ever was taken, for were he but dead, I should not grieve so over him.’ Note here that in Homer the opt. with “ἄν” or “κεν” is sometimes used to express what would have taken place in an event which has not happened (where an Attic writer would use the indicative with “ἄν”): cp. Il.2. 81; 3.223; 4.223; 5. 311, etc.
