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[690] Join οὔτε ῥέξας τινὰ ἐξαίσιόν τι, the words “οὔτε εἰπών” standing as an addition, partly disconnected from the construction; for while “ῥέζειν τινά τι” is the ordinary usage, as in Il.2. 195, “εἰπεῖν”, though occasionally used with accusative of person, as Il.12. 210, is never found with accusative of the thing as well. Translate, ‘in that he neither did anything unfair to any one, nor spoke’ (anything unfair), ‘as is indeed the common way with kings’ [sc. “ἐξαίσιον ῥέζειν καὶ εἰπεῖν”]; ‘one man he (sc. “βασιλεύς” out of “βασιλήων”) may probably hate, another he may love.’ The important clause containing the more likely result is ἐχθαίρῃσί κε, sc. your ordinary king (while he may perhaps befriend one man) is pretty sure to spite another. Cp. Il.18. 308“ἤ κε φέρῃσι μέγα κράτος ἤ κε φεροίμην”.

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

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