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[281] ἐξ ἁλός, with ἐλεύσεται, can only mean ‘will come from the sea.’ Cp. 24. 47 “μήτηρ δ᾽ ἐξ ἁλὸς ἦλθε”. In what shape death was to come from the sea is left undetermined, after the manner of prophecy. The meaning ‘away from,’ ‘at a distance from,’ is not found with a verb of motion. It is possible, however, that there was a word “ἔξαλος”, formed (perhaps as a nonce-word) on the analogy of “ἔφαλος”, and meaning ‘away from the sea.’ The point then would be that Ulysses, who had gone through so many dangers by sea, was to die on land.

αὐτῷ is opposed to λαοί (283): ‘you yourself will die &c., while your people &c.’

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