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[411] γνώμεναι, ‘for one to know him.’ This suppression of the subject to the infinitive is not uncommon. Cp. Od.4. 195“νεμεσσῶμαι οὐδὲν κλαίειν” [sc. “τινά”], Od.11. 159“οὔ πως ἔστι περῆσαι πεζὸν ἔοντα”, Od.19. 221“ἀργαλέον τόσσον χρόνον ἀμφὶς ἔοντα” [sc. “τινά] εἰπέμεν”, ib. 555 “οὔ πως ἔστιν ἀποκρίνασθαι ὄνειρον ἄλλῃ ἀποκλίναντα”, Il.6. 268“οὐδέ πῃ ἔστιν αἵματι πεπαλαγμένον εὐχετάασθαι”. Schömann (Redetheil. p. 46 note) comments on this as showing how the thought of the subject lies in the infinitive (even though unexpressed), so that it is often referred to in the following clause. Thus “naturae lege vivere et nihil quantum in ipso sit praetermittere” Cic. de Legg. 1. 21. 56 ; “Ferias denicales in eos dies conferre ius, ut ne ipsius neve publicae feriae sint” ib. 2. 22. 55 . Similarly, “Alienum est a iustitia detrahere quid de aliquo quod sibi assumat” ( Cic. de Cic. Fin.3. 21. 70); where no subject is to be found for assumat except the one implied in the infinitive detrahere. Compare also “οὐκ” “ἔστιν ὀρθῶς ἡγεῖσθαι ἐὰν μὴ φρόνιμος ᾖ” Plat. Men.97.

οὐ γάρ=as we should gladly have done, for, he was not, etc.

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

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hide References (8 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (8):
    • Homer, Iliad, 6.268
    • Homer, Odyssey, 11.159
    • Homer, Odyssey, 19.221
    • Homer, Odyssey, 4.195
    • Plato, Meno, 97
    • Cicero, De Legibus, 1.21
    • Cicero, De Legibus, 2.22
    • Cicero, de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, 3.21
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