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[122] οἳ οὐκ ἴσασι θάλασσαν. The ancients understood by these words the Epirots or Thesprotians, who certainly seem to answer very badly to this description. Probably the tradition only means to imply that Odysseus went as far inland as possible on the continent nearest to Ithaca. If not to know the sea implies not using salt, it is evident that salt was, as a rule, made by evaporating sea-water, and was not dug from mines. Perhaps this is also pointed to in the plural “ἅλες”, as meaning ‘salt-grains’ or crystals, rather than lump or block salt, cp. Il.9. 214.We need not trouble ourselves to speculate whether any particular people is intended by this description; still less, to puzzle about the barbarous names of places suggested by “οἱ παλαιοί”, and quoted by Eustath. as “Βουνίμαν” and “Κελκέαν”. We may be content to accept his interpretation of the purpose of this strange journey, “ἵνα δηλαδὴ τιμηθῇ Ποσειδῶν ἠπειρώτης ἐν τόποις οἷς οὐ φέρεται αὐτοῦ ὄνομα”. Sallust, Bell. Jug.89, speaking of the Numidians, says, “plerumque lacte et ferina carne vescebantur, et neque salem neque alia irritamenta gulae quaerebant.”

Homer's Odyssey. W. Walter Merry. James Riddell. D. B. Monro. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1886-1901.

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hide References (2 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (2):
    • Homer, Iliad, 9.214
    • Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 89
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