[368] ἰχθυάασκον … ἔτειρε δέ. Here the second clause, which gives the reason of the first, is introduced by the coordinating δέ, where in later Greek we should find “ἔτειρε γάρ”. Cp. Il.1. 259“ἀλλὰ πίθεσθ̓: ἄμφω δὲ νεωτέρω ἐστὸν ἐμεῖο”, Il.2. 26“νῦν δ᾽ ἐμέθεν ξύνες ὦκα: Διὸς δέ τοι ἄγγελός εἰμι”, Il.9. 496“οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ”
“νηλεὲς ἦτορ ἔχειν: στρεπτοὶ δέ τε καὶ θεοὶ αὐτοί”. Fish were, generally, in the judgment of the Homeric age, in the same category as beasts of prey, compare Il.24. 82; 21. 201 foll., and see note on Od. 3.177. For allusions to fishing see Od.10. 124; 12. 251 (with note); 22. 384; Il.24. 80.Eustath., on “ἔτειρε δὲ γαστέρα”, remarks, “ἄλλως γὰρ οὐ θέμις ἁλιεύειν τοὺς ἥρωας”. Cp. Athenaeus (1. 46), who says of the Homeric heroes, “ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἰχθῦς ἤσθιον, καὶ Σαρπηδὼν δῆλον ποιεῖ, ὁμοιῶν τὴν ἅλωσιν πανάγρου δικτύου θήρᾳ [ Il.5. 487], καίτοι Εὔβουλος, κατὰ τὴν κωμικὴν χάριν, φησὶ παίζων, “ ‘ἰχθῦν δ᾽ Ὅμηρος ἐσθίοντ᾽ εἴρηκε ποῦτινα τῶν Ἀχαιῶν; κρέα δὲ μόνον ὤπτων, ἐπεὶ
ἕψοντά γ᾽ οὐ πεποίηκεν αὐτῶν οὐδένα.’
”” But Eubulus is versifying the words of Plato, Rep.3. 404B, C “οἶσθα γὰρ ὅτι ἐπὶ στρατείας ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἡρώων ἑστιάσεσιν οὔτε ἰχθύσιν αὐτοὺς ἑστιᾷ [Ὅμηρος], καὶ ταῦτα ἐπὶ θαλάττῃ ἐν Ἑλλησπόντῳ ὄντας οὔτε ἑφθοῖς κρέασιν, ἀλλὰ μόνον ὀπτοῖς”.
