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[250] αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δή. If we throw the emphasis on σπεῦσε, we may render ‘but when, having busied himself, he had despatched these works of his.’ For “σπεύδειν” with objective accusative see Il.13. 235; Od.19. 137, and with τὰ ἃ ἔργα cp. “τὸν ἐμὸν γάμον” Od.2. 97.But it seems more likely that the important word is πονησάμενος, frequently used with an accusative, as in Il.9. 348; 18.380; 23.245; Od.15. 222, etc.; and σπεῦσε comes in with the same sort of adverbial force that “τυγχάνω” or “λανθάνω” give to a sentence. Translate, ‘after he had quickly performed what he had to do.’ Cp. Od.10. 249“ἀγασσάμεθ᾽ ἐξερέοντες” = ‘asked in our surprise.’

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

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