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[424] κοίλης μεσόδμης, ‘the hollow mast-box.’ For the description of “μεσόδμη” see Appendix on Homeric ship. That this is the proper rendering of “μεσόδμη” is corroborated by the Homeric use of “κοῖλος”, which does not mean ‘with a hole through it’ (as generally interpreted here), the word for which is “τρητός”, cp. “διὰ τρητοῖο λίθοιο” Od.13. 77; whereas “κοῖλος” is the regular epithet of things which enclose a space, and so is used of “νῆες” (passim), “χαράδρη, ὁδός, αἰγιαλός, λιμήν, πέτρη, σπέος, δόρυ, λόχος”.

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

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