ἐπεντύνον<*> ‘making ready’: schol. “εὐτρεπίζοντα”. Il. 8. 374“ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν νῶιν ἐπέντυε μώνυχας ἵππους”. Oppian Hal. 5. 562“ἤδη γὰρ δελφῖσιν ἐπεντύνουσιν Ἄρηα”.—The reading ἐπευθύνοντ̓ seems less fitting in reference to the purpose which the goddess foiled. It rather pictures him as already in the act of stretching forth his hand against his foes. But Athena had not suffered him to arrive in their presence; he had only reached their doors (49). If, however, “ἐπευθύνοντ̓” is to mean merely, ‘preparing for use against them,’ then it is decidedly less vivid than “ἐπεντύνοντ̓”. The chief recommendation of “ἐπευθύνοντ̓” is the fact that it was first written by the scribe of L, though corrected either by him or by an early hand. But (since “εὐθύνω” was so familiar) it may easily have been a mere slip for the rarer and more exquisite word “ἐπεντύνοντ̓”.
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Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, with critical notes, commentary, and translation in English prose. Part VII: The Ajax. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 1907.
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