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καταπτόμενος, ‘appealing to’ (cf. viii. 65. 6 ad fin.). Here it might mean ‘laying hold of’, as τοῦδε implies that there was an altar of Ζεὺς ἑρκεῖος at hand, and his altar would naturally stand in the court-yard (Hom. Od. xxii. 334). Ζεὺς ἑρκεῖος is the god of the home and also of the family (Soph. Antig. 487; Farnell, Cults, i. 54). He is akin to, though not the same as, Ζεὺς ἐφέστιος (i. 44. 2).

Demaratus is anxious to get from his mother a denial on oath, hence the ceremony by which he makes her partaker of the sacrifice (σπλάγχνων), and accursed if she forswore herself (Macan; cf. Iwan Muller, v. 3, § 77; Hermann, Gr. Antiq. ii2. 22).


ὀνοφορβόν. Malicious rationalism turned the muleteer's god Astrabacus into a muleteer. The views taken of Spartan women are widely divergent (Abbott); Plutarch (Lyc. 15; Mor. 228 B, C) represents adultery as unknown (cf. Isoc. Panath. 259), but Aristotle (Pol. 1269 b 22 f., with Newman) accuses them of every kind of excess.

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  • Commentary references from this page (2):
    • Homer, Odyssey, 22.334
    • Sophocles, Antigone, 487
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