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[757] ἐρσ´ηεις, see 419. πρόσφατος evidently means fresh. It is generally taken to mean just slain (i.e. “προσ-φν-τος” from root “φεν”), a sense which might easily enough give that of fresh, though in the literal sense it does not suit here, the point being that Hector is not just slain. Schol. B gives an alternative “ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν νεωστὶ πεφασμένων ἐκ γῆς φυτῶν, ἵνα δηλοῖ τὸ χλωρός”. Though not in this exact way, a derivation from root “φα”or “φαν”- is possible, and is confirmed by Pind. P. iv. 299 “πρόσφατον Θήβαι ξενωθείς” , Soph. frag. 130 “μηδὲν φοβεῖσθαι προσφάτους ἐπιστολάς” , and other instances in the Lexx. where the sense of recent is not conn. with that of death. It will thus form the antithesis to “παλαίφατος”, and mean newly revealed, i.e. come into being, cf.11.734 “φάνη μέγα ἔργον Ἄρηος”, etc. Either explanation involves the difficulty of the derivation of the meaning recent from “πρός”. The connexion seems to be in the idea of a thing which happens ‘before one's very eyes,’ as though coming upon one with a sense of surprise; so “πρόσπαιος” passes through the meaning sudden to that of fresh.

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

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