[182] κρεῖσσον τοῦ γε … ἢ ὅτε. For this pleonastic use of “ἤ” with the comparative in addition to the genitive compare
,“ οὔ τις τοῦδε νόος καὶ μῆτις ἀμείνων
ἢ αὐτοσχεδίῃ μῖξαι χεῖράς τε μένος τε
”
“ τί γὰρ ἂν μεῖζον τοῦδ᾽ ἔτι θνατοῖς
πάθος ἐξεύροις
ἢ τέκνα θανόντ᾽ ἐσιδέσθαι;
”
, Cic. in Verr. 4. 35 “‘quid hoc tota Sicilia est clarius, quam omnes … convenisse.’” This additional clause introduced by “ἤ” or ‘quam’ is really the epexegesis of the genitive or ablative of the pronoun. For the sentiment Löwe quotes Eur. Med.14“ἥπερ μεγίστη γίγνεται σωτηρία” “ὅταν γυνὴ πρὸς ἄνδρα μὴ διχοστατῇ”.“ οὐκ ἔστι τοῦδε παισὶ κάλλιον γέρας
ἢ πατρὸς ἐσθλοῦ κἀγαθοῦ πεφυκέναι
”