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[534] 534 = Od. 4.140, whence Zen. held that the line was borrowed here. The sense is ‘Shall I be right or wrong in what I am going to say?’ With “κέλεται” we must supply “εἰπεῖν”, ‘speak I must, and take my chance of blundering.’ The cautious old man hesitates to risk his reputation for wisdom by prophesying before he knows that Odysseus and Diomedes are returning on captured horses. It has been objected by Nitzsch that “ψεύδεσθαι” means to say what is false not in the belief that it is true, but knowing it to be false. But there is no ground for this distinction; in 5.635 “ψευδόμενοι” implies no more than error, and so 19.107 “ψευστήσεις”, where the whole emphasis lies in the fact that Zeus believes himself to have spoken truth; 9.115 “ψεῦδος” (see note) refers only to the contents and not to the intention of Nestor's words. The case is the same with “ἐπίορκον” in 332 above, where Hector intends to fulfil his oath. There is thus no place for the needlessly subtle and difficult alternative explanation proposed by M. and R. on Od. 4.140.

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

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