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[498] οὕτως is generally explained in a local sense, the correlative of the local “ὧδε”, indicating that which, though regarded as within the speaker's sphere, is the farther from him, and nearer to the person addressed; “οὗτος” being related to “σύ” as “ὅδε” to “ἐγώ”. It may thus be rendered ‘go thy way.’ Similar passages are Od. 6.218 “ἀμφίπολοι στῆθ᾽ οὕτω ἀπόπροθεν,” Od. 17.447 “στῆθ᾽ οὕτως ἐς μέσσον”. Ar., denying the local sense to “ὧδε”, doubtless did the same with “οὕτως”, and here with the additional reason that the adverb remained purely modal in later Greek. It is preferable so to take it here also, regarding it as virtually equivalent to “αὔτως”, sc. “οὕτως ὡς ἔχεις”, ‘go as thou art,’ without more ado. This is the sense in which it is used by Soph. Ant. 315(where see Jebb's note) “ἢ στραφεὶς οὕτως ἴω”; Soph. Phil. 1067 “ἀλλ᾽ οὕτως ἄπει”; and other instances from Attic writers which will be found in L. and It S. is however very tempting to adopt the variant “οὗτος”, the contemptuous vocative sense familiar in Attic, Be off, fellow! There is no instance of this in H., but in such a passage as the present this matters little. The passage seems to imply public “συσσίτια”, which were regarded as peculiarly Doric. This would be very strong evidence of lateness.

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

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hide References (4 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (4):
    • Homer, Odyssey, 17.447
    • Homer, Odyssey, 6.218
    • Sophocles, Antigone, 315
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 1067
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