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[341] καμόμεσθα, the mid. aor. recurs only in Od. 9.130, also in the sense of acquiring by labour, “οϊ κέ σφιν νῆσον ἐυκτιμένην ἐκάμοντο”. As applied to slaves it implies perhaps that they are mere chattels. The act. ‘to make’ by labour is of course common enough in the act. “ἔκαμον”. It is probable that this is the primitive sense of the word, the sense ‘to grow weary,’ which alone is found in classical Greek, being secondary. It is curious that modern Greek should have returned to the original sense, “κάνω” being = to do; “τί κάνεις”; = how do you do? The idea perhaps is that the enslaved women are set to do the work of professional mourners (24.720) in a sort of triumphant mockery. This, however, was not the view of the author of 19.282 ff. — a passage probably suggested by these lines.

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

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