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[400] εὖ ναιεταόντων. See on the whole question of the right way of writing this and analogous phrases, Classen, Hom. Sprachgebr. p. 65 foll. The decision whether it is correct to write “εὐναιόμενος, εὐναιετάων” or “εὖ ναιόμενος, εὖ ναιετάων”, and similarly “εὐκτίμενος, εὐρυρέων, εὐρυκρείων, καρηκομόων, πασιμέλουσα”, etc., etc., turns upon the applicability to each case of Scaliger's regium praeceptum, as Lobeck, Phryn. 226 calls it, “‘Nemo hellenismi paullo peritior concedet “εὐαγγέλλω” Graecum esse. Nam “τὸ εὖ καὶ τὰ στερητικὰ μόρια” [and indeed all adverbial particles] non componuntur cum verbis, sed cum nominibus. Itaque “εὐάγγελος” recte dicitur, unde verbum “εὐαγγελέω”, non “εὐαγγέλλω” quod est absurdissimum.’” The best way seems to be in all cases to write the words separate. With “εὖ ναιετάοντα” there is no uncertainty, as we have “εὖ μάλα ναιετάοντα” Od.4. 96; with “εὐφρονέων” the doubt does not arise, as we have the adjective “εὔφρων” from which to form “εὐφρονέω”. In the case of the other combinations they must, if written as one word, be justified either on the ground of Epic licence, which is a dangerous theory to introduce, or, with much greater propriety, on the ground that many of the participles have lost all real connection with their verb and exist only with an adjectival force.

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

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