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[115] The obvious reference of this line is to Achilles; let us atone with speed; the hearts of good men admit atonement. ἀκεώμεθα means let us heal the wound we have inflicted, and so ἀκεσταί obtains its proper force. But this is so inconsistent with the tenor of the Presbeia that those who do not admit the late origin of that book will have us translate let us make good our blunder (sc. “μεθημοσύνη”）; the hearts of brave men can be made good (or can make good?). It is true that this sense of “ἀκεῖσθαι” may be defended; e.g. in Od. 10.69 Odysseus says to Aiolos, “ἀλλ᾽ ἀκέσασθε, φίλοι”, repair my blunder (“ἄτη”,) and so Herod. i. 167 “ἀκέσασθαι τὴν ἁμαρτάδα”. But the difficulty of the adj. ἀκεσταί is then glaring. Its real meaning is sufficiently proved by the analogous phrases, “στρεπταὶ μέν τε φρένες ἐσθλῶν” 15.203, “στρεπτοὶ δέ τε καὶ θεοὶ αὐτοί,” 9.497; cf. 9.514 “νόον ἐσθλῶν,” 9.526 “δωρητοί τ᾽ ἐπέλοντο”. Bekker, Christ, Fäsi and others simply regard the line as spurious, for which there is no ground.

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

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