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λέγων χεροῖν μὲν: metre has influenced the place of “μέν”, which answers to δὲ in 267, and ought to come next after λέγων: cp. Ph.919σῶσαι κακοῦ μὲν πρῶτα” “τοῦδ̓, ἔπειτα δὲ” | ...“πορθῆσαι.—ἄφυκταβέλη”, those which Heracles had received from Apollo, and which he bequeathed to Philoctetes ( Ph.198 n.: ib. 105).

τῶν ὧν τέκνων: the sons were four in number, acc. to Hesiod (fr. 70, ap. schol. here),— “Δηίων, Κλύτιος, Τοξεύς, Ἴφιτος”. An ancient vase from Caere, which depicts the reception of Heracles by Eurytus and his family, gives the names of three sons as “Κλύτιος, Τόξος, Διδαίϝων” (Preller II. 226 n. 3). Creophylus, the author of the “Οἰχαλίας ἅλωσις”, named only two sons (schol.).

λείποιτο: cp. Thuc.6. 72ἀνὴρ καὶ ἐς τἄλλα ξύνεσιν οὐδενὸς λειπόμενος.—πρὸς τόξου κρίσιν”: for the prep., cp. Soph. Ph.1306κακοὺς” | ...“πρὸς αἰχμήν”: Her.1. 99(“οὐκ”) “ἐς ἀνδραγαθίην λειπόμενοι”. By “τόξου κρίσις” is meant a trial (of the competitors) which the bow decides. “κρίσις” thus almost =“ἀγών”: cp. Soph. Ph.1050 n. There was a legend that Eurytus offered the hand of his daughter Iolè as a prize for the man who should surpass him and his sons in archery. Heracles conquered, but Eurytus broke his promise (schol.: Apoll. 2. 6. 1).—Eurytus, like his father Melaneus, was a great archer. In Hom. Od.8. 226 ff. he challenges Apollo, and is slain by him. The bow of Eurytus, inherited by Iphitus, was given by the latter to Odysseus (ib. 21. 31 ff.).


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hide References (7 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (7):
    • Herodotus, Histories, 1.99
    • Homer, Odyssey, 8.226
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 1050
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 1306
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 198
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 919
    • Thucydides, Histories, 6.72
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