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[186] αὐτῷ φάρει. For an interesting note on this idiomatic use of the sociative dative see Monro, H. G. § 144. Quoting such ordinary uses as “ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασι πέμπε” Od.4. 8; “τῇ γῇ δουλεῦσαι”, to be enslaved country and all, Thuc.1. 81, he shows that the addition of “αὐτός”, meaning ‘without change,’ ‘just as they were before,’ emphasises this sociative sense. Other instances are found in Od.14. 77“αὐτοῖς ὀβελοῖσιν Od., 20. 219 αὐτῇσι βόεσσιν Od., 21. 54 αὐτῷ γωρυτῷ”, Il.8. 290“αὐτοῖσιν ὄχεσφιν Il., 9. 542 αὐτῇσιν ῥίζῃσι καὶ αὐτοῖς ἄνθεσι Il., 8. 24 αὐτῇ γαίῃ αὐτῇ τε θαλάσσῃ Il., 20. 482 αὐτῇ πήληκι”. Sometimes the preposition “σύν” is added as well, as “αὐτῇ σὺν φόρμιγγι” Il.9. 194; cp. also Il.14. 498; Od.13. 118.

In “αὐτοβοεί, αὐτοχειρίῃ”. etc., we see traces of the same construction.

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

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