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[540] 540-2 seem designed to harmonize the obvious difficulty that after the pompous description of Hector's prowess the retreat of Aias is attributed to other reasons. 543 is not given by any of our MSS., and has been introduced into the text from quotations only, no two of which quite agree together. It is inconsistent with the promise of Zeus to Hector, as well as with the next line, and is moreover hardly to be translated; it should mean ‘Zeus was wroth, whenever he fought with a better man,’ which does not make sense. Even if we can get out of it the sense ‘Zeus was indignant that he should fight,’ the reason for this emotion remains inexplicable. But considering the character of the preceding lines, we are hardly justified in rejecting 540-2(-3) by themselves, as most critics do.

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

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