[231] ῥεῖα … σαώσαι. Nitzsch shows that “τηλόθεν” cannot be referred to “θεός”, in the sense of Aesch. Eum.297“κλύει δὲ καὶ πρόσωθεν ὢν θεός”, or of Il.16. 514“κλῦθι, ἄναξ, ὅς που Λυκίης ἐν πίονι” “δήμῳ”
“εἲς, ἢ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ: δύνασαι δὲ σὺ πάντοσ᾽ ἀκούειν”“ἀνέρι κηδομένῳ”, inasmuch as (1) the question here is not of hearing, but of helping; nor is it the manner of the Homeric gods to help without being present; and, (2) whereas Telemachus' difficulty was to conceive that the gods would or could bring his father home after so long an absence, and from some unknown place, it would be no answer to him to say that a god can help without personal presence. But, proceeding on this view as the certain basis of interpretation, we come upon two possible ways of constructing the words. Either we may bring this passage into accordance with Od.6. 312“νόστιμον ἦμαρ ἴδηαι”
“χαίρων καρπαλίμως, εἰ καὶ μάλα τηλόθεν ἐστίν”, and 7. 193 “ἣν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἵκηται”
“χαίρων καρπαλίμως, εἰ καὶ μάλα τηλόθεν ἐστίν”, thus joining “τηλόθεν” with “ἄνδρα” in the sense, ‘if he is far from home.’ In this case “τηλόθεν” would stand elliptically as an attribute of a noun, cp. Od.1. 434“ἅμα” = ‘going with him;’ 2. 367 “κακὰ ὀπίσσω”, ‘evil to be wrought presently.’ Or, following Nitzsch, we may, more simply, translate, ‘can bring a man safe home even from a great distance;’ joining, in fact, “τηλόθεν” with “σαώσαι”, as in Od.21. 309“ἔνθεν δ᾽ οὔ τι σαώσεαι”. Cp. Od.5. 452“τὸν δ᾽ ἐσάωσεν ἐς ποταμοῦ προχοάς”, Il.5. 224“νῶι πόλινδε σαώσετον”, and Eur. Hel.778“σωθεὶς δ᾽ ἐκεῖθεν”.
