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[532] The hiatus at the end of the first foot without a pause is harsb, though not unexampled (see on 2.87). Darbishire (Rell. Phil. p. 51) would read “ϝάλτο”, swooped, deriving it from root uel of “ἀλείς”, vol-v-o etc. From the meaning ‘to gather one's self together’ he deduces that of swooping, through phrases like “οἴμησε ἀλείς”, and swooped is more natural than ‘leapt like a hawk’ in “ἴρηξ ὣς ἆλτο” 18.616. Still it is rather violent to say that Thetis ‘gathered herself together into the sea.’ Moreover, the only other case where the digamma would be useful is 7.15, where “ἐπιάλμενος” certainly means jumping, not swooping. All other forms of the word (not of course including “ἐάλην”, etc.) are neutral or reject the digamma, even in some places where we should equally like to say swooped. Tradition varies as to the accent and breathing of the word; the regular form would of course be “ἅλτο”, but the best ancient authorities decide for the anomalous “ἆλτο”.

The Iliad, edited, with apparatus criticus, prolegomena, notes, and appendices. Walter Leaf. London. Macmillan. 1900.

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