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[725] κεκασμένον. The Scholl. on Od. 3.282; 8. 127, and Cramer, Anecdt. Gr. 1. 89, give the untenable view that “καίνυμαι” is connected with “καίνω”, ‘to kill,’ and that it is used generally in the sense of ‘conquering.’ The Schol. on Theocr. 1. 52 gives a verb “κάζειν”=“κοσμεῖν”, which may possibly be an imaginary form. At any rate we may suppose an active form of “καίνυμαι” (i. e. “κάδνυμαι”) equivalent in meaning to “κοσμεῖν”, so that the meaning of “καίνυμαι” will properly be ‘to be decked.’ Cp. Pind. Ol.1. 27“ἐλέφαντι ὦμον κεκαδμένος”, Il.4. 339“δόλοισι κεκασμένος”. Cp. Od.7. 157; 9.509. The circumstances in which this superior adornment shows itself may next be added, as in “ἠνορέῃ . . κεκάσμεθα πᾶσαν ἐπ᾽ αἶαν” Od.24. 509, or, as here, “ἐν Δαναοῖσι”. Then a genitive may be used in the phrase, as with other words expressive of superiority, as “τῶν σε γέρον πλούτῳ τε καὶ υἱάσι φασὶ κεκάσθαι” Il.24. 546.From this the transition is easy to the simple notion of ‘surpassing,’ and to the ordinary construction with the accusative: Il.2. 530; 13.431; Od.2. 158; 3.282; 8.127. See on the whole question La Roche, Hom. Stud. 253.

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

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