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[243] ἔστητε: so Ptolemaios, “ἕστητε” Ar. The testimony of MSS. is of course indifferent. The former is supported by 20.178 “Αἰνεία, τί σὺ τόσσον ὁμίλου πολλὸν ἐπελθὼν ἔστης;” and cf. 2.323 “τίπτ᾽ ἄνεωι ἐγένεσθε;” Od. 10.64 “πῶς ἦλθες, Ὀδυσεῦ;” (H. G. § 76). There is no analogy for the lengthening of the vowel in perf. (cf. “ἕστα^τε” 4.340, 20.354). Bekk. compares “ἐπίστηται” 16.243 by “ἐπίσταται” (but that is a subj.), “βάτην” by “ἐβήτην”, and some other forms which, however, prove nothing. (H. B. 95. 11.) The difficulty is to see how the idea of a point of time, such as the aor. seems to imply, can be introduced. Agamemnon in fact asks, ‘Why have you stopped?’ when the sense required is, ‘Why do you not start?’ For the same reason the following simile is not appropriate; 243-6 seem to have been originally composed for a sudden check in pursuit, not for this place. In the passages quoted above, 2.323, 20.178, the sense come to a stand suitably expresses the sudden silence of the Greeks before the portent, and the appearance of Aineias to Achilles. Monro (H. G. § 76) regards the aor. as characteristic of ‘impatient questions.’

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

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