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[318] Nikanor read “ἠρήσαντο θεοῖς, ἰδέ”, but only the frivolous reason is given that the text would imply that they were praying to others than the gods to whom they lift their hands: “ὡς ἐτέροις ἔσονται θεοῖς ἀνατείναντες τὰς χεῖρας”. The phrase recurs 7.177 (cf. 6.257, 8.347, 19.254, and Bacchylides xv. 45 “θεοῖς δ᾽ ἀνίσχοντες χέρας ἀθανάτοις εὔχοντο παύσασθαι δυᾶν”). A serious argument against Nikanor's reading is that “ἰδέ” occurs practically only after trochaic caesura in the 3rd foot, as an iambus. The only exceptions are 14.175, 18.589, 19.285 (for a suggested explanation of this rule see van L. Ench. p. 556).

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

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