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[337] θάλαμον κατεβήσετο. This store-room was at the back of the house; but we must not suppose that ὑψόροφος means ‘vaulted,’ and that the room was underground: rather, as Eustath. “ὑψορόφου μὲν ὄντος διὰ τὸ ἴσως ὑπερῷον καὶ οὕτω ἀνεπιβούλευτον”. It might indeed be said that the so-called Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae is an instance of a subterranean storehouse, as also the treasury of Minyas at Orchomenos ( Paus.9. 38); but, apart from the question that the ordinary store-room in charge of a housekeeper bears no analogy to such structures, there is strong presumption that these ‘Treasuries’ were places of royal sepulture. We have then to explain away the difficulty suggested by the preposition in “κατεβήσετο”. Some commentators understand the meaning of a step down from the threshold; cp. “οὐδὸν δρύινον προσεβήσετο” Hom. Od.21. 43; but even this explanation is needless, for “κατά” can signify merely ‘advance;’ ‘further’ into the room is conceived of as ‘lower.’ Thus we may render “κατεβήσετο” ‘reached.’ Compare “κατὰ σπείους τέτατο” Hom. Od.9. 330; so of fluid introduced into the nostrils, “στάξε κατὰ ῥινῶν” Hom. Il.19. 39.See also Hom. Od.24. 115“ἦ οὐ μέμνῃ ὅτε κεῖσε κατήλυθον ἡμέτερον δῶ”. Sometimes “καταβαίνειν” is used, not with the simple accusative but with the addition of a preposition, as “καταβαίνειν ἐς θάλαμον” Hom. Od.15. 99; Hom. Il.6. 288.

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

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