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[285] ἡ δὲ Πύλου βασίλευε. The regular use of “βασιλεύειν” is as an intransitive verb; compare “βασιλεύειν ἐν Ἰθάκῃ” Od.1. 401, “κατὰ δῆμον 22. 52, ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ” Il.6. 425.This inclines us to take Πύλου as a purely local genitive, and not in government with the verb. In Od.7. 59 we find “Γιγάντεσσι βασιλεύειν”, where the dative is ethical. Translate, ‘she was queen in Pylos, and bare the king noble children;’ so “μητέρα δ᾽ ἣ βασίλευεν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ” Il.6. 425.It was her marriage with Neleus that made her queen, so that οἱ readily refers to “βασιλῆι” implied in βασίλευε. The former clause would naturally be participial, as “ἡ δὲ Πύλου βασιλῆι γημαμένη, τέκεν οἱ”, etc., but it is here put as an independent sentence. Neleus had twelve sons in all ( Il.11. 693 foll.), but all except Nestor were slain by Heracles.

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

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