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[254] ἐπιδώμεθα, from “ἐπιδόσθαι”, lit. let us give one another our gods, each offering to the other the guarantee of his own gods as guardians of his oath, as is done in the formula of 3.276 ff. (see note). In the more similar circumstances of 7.76 ff., however, Zeus alone is called upon to guard the oaths of both parties. “ἐπι”implies thereover, thereto, as in “ἐπιμάρτυρος” 7.76 (?), Od. 1.273, and “ἐπίσκοποι” in the next line. The use of the verb is quite isolated, the nearest analogy being “περιδώμεθα” 23.485; but no good sense can be got if we divide the word “ἐπ-ιδώμεθα”. Note the variant “ε<*>πιδωσόμεθ᾽ οἳ γάρ”, a correction no doubt suggested by 10.463, where see note. This is perhaps alluded to in “οἱ δὲ “ἐπικαλεσώμεθα”,” Sch. T.

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

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