[58] μετενίσσετο. The preposition expresses the changed course of the sun after he has passed the zenith: up to this point his course is regarded as a rise (“ἀέξετο ἦμαρ”); afterwards it is regarded as a descent; cp. Od.11. 18; 12.381. The Sun-God is a charioteer, “τὸν αἰπὺν οὐρανὸν διφρηλατῶν” Soph. Aj.845, and at the end of the day's work he unyokes his steeds, as the ploughman unyokes his oxen.
βουλυτός, sc. “καιρός”, is ‘the time for unyoking oxen.’ Cp. ‘Sol ubi . . iuga demeret bobus fatigatis’ Hom. Od.3. 6. 42.In Homer only the adverbial compound “βουλυτόνδε” is found, here and Hom. Il.16. 779.Before the division of the day into hours we find frequent instances of these graphic phrases to denote particular portions of time. Thus, in Hom. Il.11. 84 foll., the Trojans and Greeks are represented as contending all the morning with varying success, “ἦμος δὲ δρυτόμος περ ἀνὴρ ὡπλίσσατο δεῖπνον”,. . . “τῆμος . . . Δαναοὶ ῥήξαντο φάλαγγας”. Again, in Hom. Od.12. 439, the planks that had been sucked down the whirlpool re-appear at supper-time, “ἦμος δ᾽ ἐπὶ δόρπον ἀνὴρ ἀγορῆθεν ἀνέστη”
. . “τῆμος δὴ τά γε δοῦρα Χαρύβδιος ἐξεφαάνθη”. One such phrase, “πληθούσης ἀγορᾶς”, continued in use in far later times. Milton uses a similar expression in ‘Comus’— “ ‘Two such I saw, what time the laboured ox
In his loose traces from the furrow came,
And the swink'd hedger at his supper sat.’
”
The corresponding phrase for morning is given by Hesiod, Opp. 581 “ἠὼς . . πολλοῖσιν ἐπὶ ζυγὰ βουσὶ τίθησιν” .
