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[512] ἐπιβαῖεν: Bentley “ἐπιβῶσιν”, to conform to the preceding “μὴ ὁρμήσωνται” and the following “πέσσηι” of MSS. It is, however, possible to take the opt. as expressing a prayer or urgent wish, a rhetorical figure which gives both force and variety between the two subjunctives, an alternation of exhortation and prayer. There is no need to read “πέσσοι” with Ar.; ὡς expresses a purpose, see that many a one brood over the weapon that wounded him. For πέσσειν cf. 24.617, 639 “κήδεα πέσσειν”, and 2.237 “γέρα πεσσέμεν”. Ar. took βέλος to mean wound, comparing 14.439 “βέλος δ᾽ ἔτι θυμὸν ἐδάμνα”, where this sense is clearly not necessary. So 11.269 “ὠδίνουσαν ἔχηι βέλος ὀξὺ γυναῖκα”, where the metaphor is rather more violent, but “βέλος” clearly does not mean wound.

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

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