[154] δεξιώ, i. e. eastward. Cp. Il.12. 239“εἴτ᾽ ἐπὶ δεξἴ ἴωσι πρὸς ἠῶ ἠέλιόν τε”. διά=‘across’ the city and men, although high above them; just as (150) “ἀγορὴν ἱκέσθην” only implies that the assembly was just below them.
πόλιν αὐτῶν. By “αὐτῶν” are indicated the living inhabitants as opposed to the buildings, “οἰκία”. Cp. Od.7. 43“λιμένας καὶ νῆας ἐίσας” “αὐτῶν θ᾽ ἡρώων ἀγοράς 9. 40 ἔνθα δ᾽ ἐγὼ πόλιν ἔπραθον ὤλεσα δ᾽ αὐτούς”. Nitzsch understands it, less naturally, to mean ‘these same persons,’ sc. on whose heads they had just threatened vengeance.The import of the whole omen is sufficiently set forth presently by Halitherses. The eagles represent no particular persons, not (as Eustath.) Odysseus and Telemachus; but, tearing each other, they prefigure “φόνον καὶ κῆρα” (165). Similar is the omen observed by Teiresias ( Soph. Ant.1001） “ἀγνῶτ᾽ ἀκούω φθόγγον ὀρνίθων . . . καὶ σπῶντας ἐν χηλαῖσιν ἀλλήλους φοναῖς” “ἔγνων: πτερῶν γὰρ ῥοῖβδος οὐκ ἄσημος ἦν”.
