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[164] ἐπ᾽ … ἦρα φέροντες. Buttm. is in the main right in his view of this phrase, which occurs in Od.16. 375; 18.56; Il.1. 572, 578, and “ἦρα” without “ἐπί” in Il.14. 132.To suppose a tmesis of a compound adjective “ἐπίηρα” would be monstrous. Yet such must have been the view of Aristarchus, at least on the present passage and on Od. 16.375; 18. 56. For, says Herodian on Il.1. 572, “Ἀρίσταρχος ὑφ᾽ ἓν κατ᾽ ὀρθὴν σημασίαν τὸ ἐπίηρα, καὶ ἐπεκράτησεν ἡ Ἀριστάρχου καίτοι λόγον οὐκ ἔχουσα”. The question that remains is whether we are to suppose “ἐπί” to stand in composition with a previously consolidated phrase or quasi-compound “ἦρα-φέρειν”, or with “φέρειν” simply, “ἦρα” being subjoined. Buttm. remarks that the word “ἐπιφέρειν” exists in Homer, in tmesis, Il.8. 516“Τρωσὶν ἐφ᾽ ἱπποδάμοισι φέρειν πολύδακρυν Ἄρηα”. But it should be added that a hostile sense seems to underlie it. On the other hand, inasmuch as we never find any form of the simple “ἦρα” otherwise than in the phrase “ἦρα φέρειν”, and as we do find both “ἦρα φέρειν”, and “ἐπὶ ἦρα φέρειν”, we may conclude with Buttm. that “ἐπί” is compounded with the previously consolidated phrase “ἦραφέρειν”. Buttm. agrees with Herodian in regarding “ἦρα” as the accusative from a supposed nominative “ἦρ” = “χάρις”, while Aristarch. took it as accusative plural from an adjective “ἦρος”. The connection of “ἦρα” with root “ἀρ” as in “ἄρμενος”, etc., is the simplest etymology that has been proposed. Ahrens refers it to a root from sarv, “ἑρϝ”, and connects it with the Latin servire, quoting such phrases as ‘in animo servire,’ ‘amicis servire.’ Fick connects with Skt. vAram = ‘good.’

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

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