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[732] κατ᾽ αὐτούς is not easy to explain; Monro compares “ἵκοντο κατὰ στρατόν” of a ship arriving ‘off the camp,’ A 484, but there the verb of motion to the point reached makes a great difference. See notes on N 737, O 384 “κατὰ τεῖχος”. The sense required is over against. This is nearly approached in Od. 16.159 “στῆ δὲ κατ᾽ ἀντίθυρον κλισίης Ὀδυσῆϊ φανεῖσα”, where “στῆ” may be taken to imply motion. For exact parallels we must go to Attic; Septem 505 “ἀνὴρ κατ᾽ ἄνδρα τοῦτον ἡιρέθη”, Xen. Hell. iv. 2. 18 “οἱ μὲν Ἀθηναῖοι κατὰ Λακεδαιμονίους ἐγένοντο”. The weak use of αὐτούς also suggests late origin. It is perhaps possible, on the doubtful analogy of “σὺν αὐτῶι” (407), to explain “κατ᾽ αὐτούς” as = by themselves, independently of any help, cf. “μαχόμην κατ᾽ ἔμ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐγώ”, A 271; but it would be a desperate resource.

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

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