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[50] ὅθι τε. The addition of the particle “τε”, identical with Lat. que, to pronouns and adverbs seems to indicate a constant action rather than an isolated act, a reference to whole classes, rather than to individuals. As instances, we may compare Il.1. 1“μῆνιν . . ἣ μυρἴ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγἐ ἔθηκεν”, with Il.5. 876“κούρην οὐλομένην ᾗ τ᾽ αἰὲν ἀήσυλα ἔργα μέμηλε”, and Od.1. 327“νόστον λυγρὸν ὃν ἐκ Τροίης ἐπετείλατο”, with ibid. 341 “ἀοιδῆς λυγρῆς ἥ τέ μοι . . κῆρ τείρει”, in which passages a single fact is contrasted with habitual action. The generalising force of the particle is seen in such phrases as Od.5. 438“κύματος ἐξαναδὺς τά τ᾽ ἐρεύγεται ἤπειρόνδε” = ex eo genere fluctuum qui. Compare too the use of “οἷός τε” Od.5. 422; 13.223; 14.63; 15. 379. So “ὅσος τε” Od.10. 517.On the whole, if we seek for a distinction between this compound relative and the simple relative, we may say that the former often introduces a characteristic of the antecedent, whether, as in the present case, and in v. 52, the antecedent stands alone in its possession of the said characteristic, or whether, as in Il.5. 876, it is one of a class, all the individuals of which possess it. See Monro, H. G. §§ 266 foll.; 331 foll.

Homer's Odyssey. W. Walter Merry. James Riddell. D. B. Monro. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1886-1901.

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