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[570] πρόχνυ is commonly explained as = knee-forward, i.e. falling on her knees. But the change of “γ” to “χ” in Greek is at least doubtful (see G. Meyer Gr. § 212), and the word nowhere else (21.460, Od. 14.69, and later Greek) conveys any distinct reference to knees; it means utterly. It must therefore be regarded as of uncertain meaning here. It will be seen that, so far as the story is told, the only result of the curse is to deprive Meleagros of the promised gifts. Pausanias, in an interesting excursus on the development of the Meleagros legend (x. 31. 2) says that ‘according to Homer’ M. did die through the curse (and perhaps that is a fair deduction from the “ἔκλυεν” of 572), but that the “Ἠοῖαι” and “Μινυάς” ascribed the death to Apollo. He adds that the familiar story of the firebrand was first adopted by Phrynichos in his “Πλευρώνιαι”.

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

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