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[342] “ἥ κε .. ἐρυκάκοι”: here, in the relative sentence with “κε”, the (potential) opt. is quite in order; see the numerous instances in H. G. §§ 304-6. ἵππον in the sense of cavalry is of course Herodotean and Attic; there is no other instance of the use in H. Turnebus (1554), followed by subsequent editors, wrote “ἵππους”, with no authority but the text of the Roman ed. of Eust., thus concealing a valuable indication of the late date of Nestor's speech. ἀμφὶς ἐοῦσα appears to mean surrounding the camp; but this sense of surrounding completely properly belongs only to “περί”: “ἀμφί” and “ἀμφίς” mean properly ‘on both sides’; then they come to signify ‘on different sides,’ and so can be used to indicate surrounding, not by a continuous line, but by individual points — a distinction corresponding to that between umher and herum in German. The “δεσμοὶ ἀμφὶς ἔχοντες” in Od. 8.340 seem, however, to shew that “ἀμφίς” came ultimately to be identical with “περί”, though perhaps only at a late date. In 3.115 “ἀμφίς” is clearly on both sides of each heap, not all around. Perhaps therefore we ought to take it to mean here apart from the wall; the trench is generally conceived as being some distance away from the wall itself, and “ἐγγύθι” shews at all events that they were not to be in immediate contact, like the modern moat with a rampart. On this question see note on 8.213. The variant “ἀμφὶς ἔχουσα” would mean keeping them apart from the enemy.

Half of the following passage (344405) is made up of lines found in other parts of the Iliad.

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

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