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[405] 405 = 15. 39. The pronoun τοι is generally construed with ἤπια οἶδε ‘he is of friendly mind to thee.’ With regard to ὁμῶς opinions differ. Ameis refers it to ὑῶν ἐπίουρος: Eumaeus was as much devoted to Ulysses himself as to his possessions, the swine. Others refer forwards to the words “παῖδά τε κτλ.” ‘equally to thee’=‘even as he is towards thy son and Penelope.’ This, however, will not suit 15. 39, where the line “παῖδά τε κτλ.” does not follow. It seems much too harsh to separate “ὁμῶς τοι”. The difficulty is really logical, arising from a certain blending of the ideas of friendship or loyalty, given in “ἤπια οἶδε”, with that of agreement, expressed by “ὁμῶς”. Eumaeus was ‘at one with Ulysses in the loyalty of his heart.’ So Il.4. 360ὥς τοι θυμὸς . . . ἤπια δήνεα οἶδε: τὰ γὰρ φρονέεις τ᾽ ἐγώ περ”. And so in prose, Thuc. iii. 9ἴσοι τῇ γνώμῃ ὄντες καὶ εὐνοίᾳ” . In such passages we see the endeavour to express the complex notion of sympathy.

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  • Commentary references from this page (2):
    • Homer, Iliad, 4.360
    • Thucydides, Histories, 3.9
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