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[45] 45 “ἀθετεῖται, ὅτι ἐκ τῶν Ἡσιόδου” ( Opp. 318, “μετενήνεκται ὑπό τινος νομίσαντος ἐλλείπειν τὸν λόγον”, The An.decision is obviously right; the line is suitable enough in a gnomic reflexion, but is absolutely senseless here, for Zeus could not reproach Achilles for having none of the “αἰδώς” which is injurious. The double character of “αἰδώς” is a sententious commonplace, see Eur. Hipp. 385 “αἰδώς τε: δισσαὶ δ᾽ εἰσίν: ἡ μὲν οὐ κακή, ἡ δ᾽ ἄχθος οἴκων”. The idea of “αἰδώς” is fear of what men may say; this may be “κακή”, for it may prevent a man doing what he knows to be right, as well as keep him from wrong. Plutarch in his essay “περὶ δυσωπίας”, where he quotes this line as Homeric (p. 529 D), takes the evil “αἰδώς” to mean excessive bashfulness.

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

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  • Commentary references from this page (2):
    • Euripides, Hippolytus, 385
    • Hesiod, Works and Days, 318
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