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[370] τόδε καλὸν ἀκουέμεν ἐστίν, ‘This is a fine thing, viz. to listen to a minstrel,’ etc. The following instances of a pronoun followed by an epexegetic infinitive, are from Ameis, “τοῦτο φίλον . . νοστῆσαι Ὀδυσῆα” Od.1. 82, “τόδε ἄμεινον . . ἀνδρὸς βίοτον νήποινον ὀλέσθαι” ib. 376, “τοῦτο γέρας οἶον . . κείρασθαι κόμην” Od.4. 197, “οὐ τόδε κάλλιον . . ξεῖνον χαμαὶ ἧσθαι” Od.7. 159, “τό γε κέρδιον . . χρήματ᾽ ἀγυρτάζειν” Od.19. 283; cp. also Il.2. 119; 5.665; 8.7; 15. 599; 17. 406. This epexegetical use of the infinitive is hardly ever found in Homer, except in connection with the nominative or accusative. But in Od.10. 431 we find “καταβήμεναι ἐς Κίρκης οἶκον” used to define “κακῶν τούτων” in the preceding line. But, whatever case the infinitive seems to represent in such combinations, the old datival force of the termination may still be detected; as in the present passage—‘herein is a fine thing, viz. in the listening,’ etc.

Homer's Odyssey. W. Walter Merry. James Riddell. D. B. Monro. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1886-1901.

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