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[526] εἴ κε with indic. occurs only here in H.; but Monro (H. G. § 324) compares the oracle in Herod.i. 174 “Ζεὺς γάρ κ᾽ ἔθηκε νῆσον εἴ κ᾽ ἐβούλετο” (“εἴ γ᾽” Steger), Aristoph. Lys. 1099 “αἴ κ᾽ εἶδον ἀμέ” (Spartan), and Erinna iv. 4 (where, however, we should read “αἰ καὐδάν”, not “αἴ κ᾽ αὐδάν”). These are perhaps the only instances in Greek, till we come to the late Hellenistic use of “ἐάν” with indic., and are inadequate to defend such an exceptional use here. We can read “εἰ δὲ κ᾽” (“αί”), but the elision is doubtful (see note on 6.260) and the “καί” has no special significance. The couplet looks like a poor interpolation made up of 490 and 382.

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

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  • Commentary references from this page (2):
    • Herodotus, Histories, 1.174
    • Aristophanes, Lysistrata, 1099
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