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[41] ἀγασσάμενοι, either admiring his chivalry, or jealous of their honour (cf. 23.639 “ἀγασσαμένω περὶ νίκης” — a doubtful line, however), grudging him the advantage. Observe the change of mood in ἐπόρσειαν, these two lines being added independently, and expressing the remoter result. χαλκοκνήμιδες is “ἅπ. λεγ.” for the regular “ἐυκνήμιδες”. The old Epic greaves were probably not of metal at all (App. B). Schulze points out that the early Epic poets always thus change “ἐϋ-” into “καλλι-” or the like when they want a long syll., rather than write “ἠϋ-”, which is strictly reserved for compounds which could not otherwise be used at all. Compare “ἐϋπλόκαμος, ἐΰζωνος, ἐΰτριχας” beside “καλλιπλόκαμος, καλλίζωνος, καλλίτριχας”, but “ἠΰκομος, ἠϋγένειος”. (So also “ἠϋπάτειρα”, which we should read with L. Meyer in 6.292 for the false form “εὐπατέρεια”: cf. “ἡ δ᾽ εὐπάτειρα φιλογέλως τε παρθένος” in a fragment of Menander.) Thus the change of “ἐϋ-” into “χαλκο-” sacrifices archaeology to metrical purism.

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

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