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[502] καμπύλα applies properly only to the bow though τόξα plainly means the arrows; an instance of the purely mechanical use of a familiar standing epithet. So μετὰ στροφάλιγγι κονίης is tastelessly borrowed from the fine passage 16.775. Here it can only mean that she raises the dust by running away. πεπτῶτα: the correct form of the perf. part. in H. is doubtful; MSS. invariably confuse it with the commoner “πεπτηώς”, crouching, from “πτη-” (“πτήσσω”), and the mistake is as old as Ap. Rhod. who has “ἄτηι ἐνιπεπτηυῖαν” iii. 973 (but “περὶ γούνασι πεπτηυῖαν” iv. 93 is ambiguous). It recurs in H. only 22.384, where MSS. have “πεπτε-, πεπτη-, πεπτει-ῶτας, πεπτη-, πεπτε-ότας”, of which only the first and last will scan. The Attic form is “πεπτώς” (Ai. 829, Ant. 697), and this is presumably right for H. also. The weak form of the stem is “πτ-”, not “πτε-”, and “πε-πτ-ώς” thus corresponds to “βε-βα-ώς, ϝε-φικ-ώς”, etc. The only alternative would be “πεπτωώς”, on the analogy of “πέπτωκα”, a difficult form. (Cf. Brugm. Gr. ii. p. 1206, where an intermediate “πε-πτ-α-ώς” from “πε-πτ-ϝώς” is assumed.)

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

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hide References (4 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (4):
    • Homer, Iliad, 16.775
    • Homer, Iliad, 22.384
    • Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica, 3.973
    • Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica, 4.93
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