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[334] αὐδήεσσα. The word “αὐδήεις” was considered of doubtful interpretation by the ancients. Cp. Eustath. “αὐδήεσσα ἢ ἡ διαβόητος κατὰ τοὺς παλαιοὺς, ὅ ἐστιν ἀοίδιμος διὰ τὰ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ ξυμβάντα, ἢ ἡ ἔνδοξος: εὐγενὴς γάρ: ἢ κατὰ Ἀριστοφάνην ἡ χρωμένη ἀνθρωπίνῃ φωνῇ . . γράφεται δὲ καὶ οὐδήεσσα, τουτέστι ἐπίγειος, νύμφη γὰρ ἦν καὶ οὐκ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανιώνων”. The interpretation of Aristophanes, ‘speaking with human voice,’ seems to be the best. The word is used in Homer of the horse Xanthus when gifted with human speech by Hera, Il.19. 407; of Circe, Od 10. 136; of Calypso, Od.12. 449; of “ἄνθρωποι”, Od.6. 125; and Hesiod ( Hesiod Theog.142 foll.) distinguishes “ἀθάνατοι” from “θνητοὶ αὐδήεντες”. Some have compared “αὐδήεις” with “μέροψ”, making the former the distinguishing mark between mortals and immortals, and “μέροψ” (= ‘articulating’) the point of contrast between civilised men and savages or wild beasts. This seems right for “αὐδήεις”, but it is hardly possible that “μέροψ” should mean, as it was formerly interpreted, “μερίζων τὴν ὄπα”. It is rather connected with “σ-μερ”, Skt. smar, and means ‘thinking’ creatures; or with mar and “μορ”—‘mortal’ beings. The use of two distinct languages by gods and men respectively is alluded to in Homer several times. See on Od. 10.305. The form “οὐδήεσσα”, accepted by Barnes, and, among recent editors, by Düntzer, would come from a noun “οὖδος”, a collateral form of “οὖδας”. See critical note.

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

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