[390] Διός γε διδόντος. This may fairly be called an instance of the true genitive absolute in Homer. The tendency of the participial construction with the genitive is to separate itself from the syntax of the sentence, and to stand alone either in a causal sense or as marking a point of time. In such a phrase as ( Il.15. 608) “ἀμφὶ δὲ πήληξ”
“σμερδαλέον κροτάφοισι τινάσσετο μαρναμένοιο”, the uncertainty is just felt, whether “μαρναμένοιο” is the genitive in close dependence on a substantive, or whether it is approaching the ‘absolute’ construction=‘as he fought.’ Cp. again Il.16. 581“Πατρόκλῳ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἄχος γένετο φθιμένου ἑτάροιο”, or Il.2. 153“ἀϋτὴ δ᾽ οὐρανὸν ἵκεν”“οἴκαδε ἱεμένων”, Od.9. 441“πάντων ὀίων ἐπεμαίετο νῶτα ὀρθῶν ἑσταότων”.
In such phrases as ( Il.4. 214) “τοῦ δ᾽ [ὀιστοῦ] ἐξελκομένοιο πάλιν ἄγεν ὀξέες ὄγκοι”, or ( Od.5. 432） “ὡς δ᾽ ὅτε πουλύποδος θαλάμης ἐξελκομένοιο” “πρὸς κοτυληδονόφιν πυκιναὶ λάιγγες ἔχονται”, we feel that the expression of a point of time belongs quite as really to the participial genitives, though grammatically they may still be described as depending on “ὄγκοι” or “κοτυληδονόφιν” respectively. Classen (Hom. Sprachgeb. 171 foll.) notices, that where aoristic participles are used absolutely in the genitive they express generally a causal relation or a hypothetical sentence, while the present participle so used has more often the force of marking a point of time.
As instances of absolute aorist participles in the genitive, he gives the following list. (1) With simple mark of time or circumstance— Il.11. 458; 13.409; 15.328; 16. 306; 19. 74, 75; Od.1. 16; 14.475; 24.535. (2) In hypothetical or causal sense— Il.8. 37, 164; 9. 425, 426; 10. 246, 355, 356; 14. 521, 522; 19. 61, 62; 21. 289, 436; 22. 46, 287, 383; Od.11. 248. Absolute present participles in genitive, (1) With simple mark of time or circumstance— Il.1. 88; 2.550; 5. 499-501; 8. 537; 14. 100; 15. 190, 548; 18. 10, 605; 20. 404; 23. 520, 598; 24. 289; Od.1. 403; 4. 19, 717; 5. 287; 10. 470; 11. 295; 14. 162, 293; 16. 373, 438; 18. 267; 19. 153, 518; 20. 25, 232, 311; 24. 507. (2) With the addition of a causal or hypothetical sense— Il.5. 202, 864; 7. 63; 9. 573; 17. 265, 393, 532; 19. 210; 21. 522; 22. 431; 24. 243, 248; Od.1. 390; 4.393; 9.390; 17. 296; 19. 196; 20. 218.
