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[347] αἰσυμνητ́ηρ is related to “αἰσυμνήτης” (Od. 8.258, of the judges at the Phaiakian games) as “κυβερνητήρ” (Od. 8.557) to “κυβερνήτης, ὀρχηστήρ” (18.494) to “ὀρχηστής”, etc. The obvious derivation is from “αἶσα — μνάομαι”, ‘one who is mindful of justice,’ i.e. a prince; as all justice in H. belongs to the traditions of the royal families (Curtius Et. ^{5} p. 716). Compare the name “Αἴσυμνος,” 11.303; the -“υ”is commonly said to be Aeolic. But some doubt is thrown upon this by the Doric form “αἰσιμνάτας” in inscriptions from Megara and Chalkedon (G. Meyer Gr. § 62 ad fin.). The name “Αἰσυήτης” (2.793, 13.427) suggests the existence of a noun-stem “αἰσυ-”, where the -“υ” is radical. From this the alternative reading “αἰσυητῆρι” may have arisen regularly. But there is no other evidence for it in Greek. The locus classicus on the word is Aristotle Pol. iv. 10. 2 “τὸ παλαιὸν ἐν τοῖς ἀρχαίοις Ἕλλησιν ἐγίγνοντό τινες μόναρχοι . . οὓς ἐκάλουν αἰσυμνήτας”.

The Iliad, edited, with apparatus criticus, prolegomena, notes, and appendices. Walter Leaf. London. Macmillan. 1900.

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