[142] βροτῶν: made prominent not only by the caesura but also by the repetition of the idea in the second half-verse.
οἳ ἀρούρης κτλ.: a standing expression for men, from their principal food, as contrasted with gods who live on ambrosia and nectar (5.341). cf. “ὃς θνητός τ᾽ εἴη καὶ ἔδοι Δημήτερος ἀκτήν Ν 322, ὅσοι νῦν βροτοί εἰσιν ἐπὶ χθονὶ σῖτον ἔδοντες θ 222, οὐδὲ ἐῴκειν ι ἀνδρί γε σιτοφάγῳ ι” 190 f., quicunque terrae munere vescimur Hor. Carm. ii. 14. 10. 143 = Od. 3.429. ἆσσον κτλ.: sarcastic. cf. “εἰ δέ τις ἐκπάγλως ἐθέλει οἰκόνδε νέεσθαι, ι ἁπτέσθω ἧς νηὸς . . . ὄφρα πρόοθ᾽ ἄλλων θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ Β” 357 ff. — The poet seems to play on the words “ἆσσον” and “θᾶσσον”. cf. 5.440. ὀλέθρου πείρατα: “net of destruction.” cf. “ἐκφυγέειν μέγα πεῖραρ ὀιζύος ε” 289. ἵκηαι: “ἵκῃ”. cf. “πύθηαι Ε” 351.This text is part of:
Homer's Iliad, Books IV-VI. Thomas D. Seymour. Boston. Ginn and Company. 1891.
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