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[408] ἀποστίλβοντες ἀλείφατος. The Schol. E. gives “γλίσχρον δὲ ὂν τὸ ἔλαιον στιλπνὸν ποιεῖ τὸ χριόμενον, οἷον τὸ μάρμαρον”. This suggests the interpretation that “ἄλειφαρ” here means some polish or varnish applied to stone-work. Compare Plato, Critias, 116 B “καὶ τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων τὰ μὲν ἁπλᾶ τὰ δὲ μίγνυντες τοὺς λίθους ποικίλα ὕφαινον παιδιᾶς χάριν . . καὶ τοῦ μὲν περὶ τὸν ἐξωτάτω τροχὸν τείχους χαλκῷ περιελάμβανον πάντα τὸν περίδρομον, οἷον ἀλοιφῇ προσχρώμενοι” . This suits with Hesychius' interpretation of “ἄλοιμα” (Soph. Frag. 73), viz. “χρῖσμα τοίχων” (quoted by Hayman); and though Nitzsch insists that the epithet “ξεστοί” precludes the notion of a plaster or stucco, yet it is equally likely that “ἀποστίλ. ἀλ”. is here the particular epexegesis of “ξεστοί”, showing the special way in which the smoothness was produced. With the construction cp. Od.23. 289“ἔντυον εὐνὴν”

“ἐσθῆτος μαλακῆς”. We may also quote, as bearing on this passage, Il.18. 595“χιτῶνας . . ἦκα στίλβοντας ἐλαίῳ”, but for a fuller interpretation see note on Od. 7.107. Eustath. and the Scholl. generally give the explanation, “λείπει τὸ ὡς”, i.e. ‘glistening as if with oil.’

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

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