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[255] ἦ τοι … ἐτύχθη, ‘doubtless thou dost [we should say ‘canst’] imagine for thyself, how things would have been done.’ We must supply a plural noun neuter as nominative to “ἐτύχθη”, in keeping with such phrases as “Τρωσὶ μὲν εὐκτά γένηται” Il.14. 98, “οἴω λοίγἰ ἔσεσθαι” Il. 21. 533, “ἶσα ἔσσεται” Od. 2.203. Cp. Od. 8. 384; 9.420. The following words explain ‘how things would have been done,’ namely, Aegisthus would have died without even a burial. If we adopt (as Ameis in later edd.) “ὥς περ ἐτύχθη”, as referring to what did happen, we shall have to put a colon after these words, and take the next line as abruptly stating the hypothetical case of what would have happened afterwards. We should render then, ‘Yea, verily, of thine ownself thou imaginest rightly how it all befell.’ For Telemachus had indeed suggested the cause of this unexpected boldness on the part of Aegisthus. So far all is satisfactory: but the abruptness with which the next line is introduced goes far to discredit this reading.

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

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