[418] ἠιόνας. The etymology of “ἠιών” is not clear. It is possibly connected with “εἱαμενή”, see Buttm. Lexil. s. v.; or more likely with “εἶμι”, whether as the Schol. says, because it is a beach on which one may walk, or as the outstretching line of coast, which seems to ‘go’ forward. We find “ἠιών” Il.7. 462; 12. 31, or “ἠιόνες”, sometimes used merely to describe the sandy sea-beach; so “ἠιόνος βαθείης” Il.2. 92, “ὅθι κύματ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἠιόνος κλύζεσκον” Il.23. 61.The passages which describe “ἠιών” more specifically are Il.17. 263“ἐπὶ προχοῇσι διιπετέος ποταμοῖο”
“βέβρυχεν μέγα κῦμα ποτὶ ῥόον, ἀμφὶ δέ τ᾽ ἄκραι”“ἠιόνες βοόωσιν ἐρευγομένης ἁλὸς ἔξω”. This may be compared with Od.6. 138“ἠιόνας προὐχούσας” in connection with ib. 47 “παρ᾽ ὄχθῃσιν ποταμοῖο”. In Il.14. 35 the drawing up of the ships on shore is thus described—“τῷ ῥα προκρόσσας ἔρυσαν καὶ πλῆσαν ἁπάσης”
“ἠιόνος στόμα μακρὸν, ὅσον συνεέργαθον ἄκραι”, sc. the promontories of Sigeium and Rhoeteium, enclosing the bay where the Scamander emptied itself into the sea. The general result from a comparison of these passages seems to be that ἠιόνες are jutting horns of shore, especially such as are found at the mouths of rivers, for the most part lying low, though not always. This interpretation harmonises well with παραπλῆγες, which is the direct opposite to “ἀντιπλῆγες”, used as an epithet of “ἀκταί” Soph. Antig.592, ‘headlands, which oppose a full front to the blow of the waves.’ παραπλῆγες will then mean, not merely ‘shelving,’ as some give it, but ‘where the seas strike aslant.’ This would be the case where the waves fall on the curving sides of a bay, for, instead of striking full upon them, they break slantwise, and run along instead of being hurled back.
