previous next

[165] μηδὲ ἔα, i.e. “μηδ᾽ ἔαε”. All similar cases of hiatus before “ἐάω” (8.428, 16.16, 22.339, 23.73, Od. 4.805, Od. 10.536, Od. 18.420) can be cured by reading the open form, and there is no other trace of an initial “ϝ.” (“μηδέ ϝ᾽ ἔα” Brandr.) Cf. 132. ἀμφιελίσσας is a word of somewhat doubtful meaning, as it is only applied to ships. The traditional explanation, rowed on both sides, is insufficient, as there is no ground to suppose that “ἑλίσσω” (“ϝελ-”) was ever used for “ἐρέσσω” (root “ἐρ-”), from which we actually have “ἀμφήρης”, Eur. Cycl. 15. Nor will rolling both ways do, for “ἑλίσσω” is not = “σαλεύω”. The two meanings which are generally adopted are (1) curved at both ends, i.e. rising at both bow and stern (see note on “κορωνίσι”, l. 771 below); or (2) with curved sides. Against both these it may be urged that “ἑλίσσειν” never seems to imply ‘curving,’ but always ‘turning round,’ ‘whirling,’ and the like, a very different idea; and further, with regard to (1) “ἀμφί” strictly means ‘at both sides,’ not ‘both ends. The only sense consonant with the use of the word “ἑλίσσω” is wheeling both ways, i.e. easily turned round, handy. Cf. note on “ὠκύαλος” 15.705.

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

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.

hide References (9 total)
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: