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[256] This line is a compendium of sins against Homeric diction — the weak αὐτῶν = them, τρεῖν for “τρέειν”, and worst of all ἐᾶι in one syll. for “ἐάει” in three. The couplet may be an Attic interpolation, though it does not look like it. If it is to be restored to archaic form, violent measures must be employed. Of many conjectures perhaps the best is van Leeuwen's “ἀντίος εἶμι: τρέειν μ᾽ οὐκ εἴαε Π. Ἀ”. In the old Attic alphabet, with contractions, this would be “τρειν μουκεα Π.”, which would easily assume its present form with “αὐτῶν”, a gloss imported to fill up the apparently deficient measure. The wellattested “ἔα” supports this. For the imperf. cf. 819. (Synizesis of the first syll. of “ἐάω” is found in our texts in 10.344, where see note, and Od. 21.233, Od. 23.77.)

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

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