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[467] δεύτερος, not “δέυτερον”, is the Homeric constr. (see 3.349, 5.855, 7.248, 17.45), though Ar. curiously supported the neuter here. οὔτασεν, elsewhere in H. used only of a thrust, is here applied to a wound given by a weapon cast. This troubled the Aristarchean school greatly, as an exception to a canon of the master — “δοκεῖ διὰ τούτων συγχεῖσθαι διαφορὰ τοῦ βαλεῖν καὶ οὐτάσαι: βέβληται γὰρ Πήδασος. καὶ μήποτε γραφή τις ἐφέρετο δι᾽ ἧς τὸ τῆς λέξεως σύνηθες ἐφύλασσεν Ὅμηρος: οὐ γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸ ἀπαραμύθητον Ἀρίσταρχος ἀφῆκεν. ἐν τοίνυν τῆι Φιλήμονος οὕτως ἐφέρετο δὲ Πήδασον ἤλασεν ἵππονἔστι γὰρ ὅτε ἐπὶ τῆς” (“πόρρωθεν” add. Lehrs) “πληγῆς τὸἤλασενκεῖται, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀρήτου” (17.517) ““καὶ βάλεν Ἀρήτοιο,” εἶτα” (519) ““νειαίρηι δ᾽ ἐν γαστρὶ διὰ ζωστῆρος ἔλασσεν”,” Did. The statement of Schol. T that Ar. to escape the difficulty entirely altered the text, adding two lines (see above) is tacitly contradicted by Did. and is so unlike all that we know of Ar. as to be unworthy of credence. In all probability “Ἀρίσταρχος” has, as often elsewhere, supplanted the name of some less known critic. We have merely to register a departure in an insignificant matter from the usual Homeric practice. To make “οὔτασεν” a ground for the rejection of 463-76 (Fick) or 467-77 (Lachmann) is going too far. These critics wish to expel the mortal horse Pedasos from the text, mainly because the trace-horse is not found elsewhere; but the linguistic arguments against this passage come to very little, and the narrative shews an obvious gap after either excision. Fick leaves αὖ in 477 without any meaning; Lachmann produces a false antithesis between αὐτοῦ μέν (466) and Πατρόκλου δέ (478). The whole episode is particularly vigorous and picturesque, and cannot be dispensed with.

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