[157] λευσσόντων. For this use of the genitive of the participle, notwithstanding the dative case of the pronoun “σφισι”, cp. Od.9. 256“ἡμῖν δὲ κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ”
“δεισάντων”, ib. 458 “τῷ κέ οἱ ἐγκέφαλός γε . . θεινομένου ῥαίοιτο”, also Od.14. 527; 17.231; 22.17; Il.14. 25; 16.531. In each of the two lines quoted above it is possible to suppose the genitive suggested by “ἦτορ” or “ἐγκέφαλος”, but the connection is loose; and the genitive is evidently tending towards its ‘absolute’ use; which it actually reaches in such phrases as “καί κεν τοῦτ᾽ ἐθέλοιμι Διός γε διδόντος ἀρέσθαι” Od.1. 390.Classen (Hom. Sprach. p. 174 foll.) calls this construction ‘das letzte Stadium vor dem volligen Durchbruch des Genetiv zur Unabhängigkeit.’ See more on Od. 4.646.θάλος … εἰσοιχνεῦσαν. For the ‘constructio ad sensum,’ the participle agreeing with the gender implied in “θάλος”, cp. Il.22. 87“φίλον θάλος, ὃν τέκεν αὐτή”, Od.11. 90“ἦλθεν ἐπὶ ψυχὴ Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο” “χρύσεον σκῆπτρον ἔχων”, Il.11. 690“ἐλθὼν ἐκάκωσε βίη Ἡρακληείη”. Also Eur. Bacch.130“τῆς σῆς τόδ᾽ ἔρνος, ὦ τάλαινα, νηδύος”
“αἴσχιστα καὶ κάκιστα κατθανόνθ᾽ ὁρῶ”.
