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[2] ἄριστον ἅμ᾽ ἠοῖ. There may be an intentional play of language here; the original doubtless was “ἀϝέριστον ἅμ᾽ ἀϝόϊ”. The stem “ἀϝερ-”, older auser (see in “ἦρι, ἠέριος” ‘at dawn,’ “αὔριον” ‘to-morrow,’ Lat. aurōra) is a parallel form to “ἀϝοσ-”, older ausos, ‘dawn.’ We may conjecture that “ἀϝέριστον” came from “ἀϝερ-” through a verb “ἀϝερίζω” ‘to take a morning (meal).’ The suffix “-το-” is regularly used of time or season; so in “δείπνηστος, δόρπηστος, βουλυ_τός” ‘the time of unyoking,’ “ἄροτος” ‘plough-time,’ “ἄμητος” ‘reaping,’ “τρυγητός” ‘vintage.’ Note that “δείπν-ηστος” may be a compound; the second part containing the root “ἐδ-” ‘to eat’ (lengthened under the general rule as to compounds whose second part begins with a vowel, H. G. § 125, 8). So “δόρπ-ηστος”: but not “ἀϝέριστον”, which is properly “ἡ ὥρα τοῦ ἀϝερίζειν”. For “ἀϝερίζω” ‘to breakfast,’ cp. “δειελιάω” ‘to sup’ (17. 599). Similarly “θερίζω” ‘to do summer-work,’ i.e. ‘to reap,’ “ὀπωρίζω” ‘to gather in fruit’: also “ἐαρίζω” ‘to blossom,’ “ὀρθρίζω” ‘to rise early’ (Luke xxi. 38). See Curt. Stud. 11. 175.

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

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