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[181] μέλλεν, equivalent to ‘might have’ or ‘must have.’ αὐτός implies that the god himself would interfere to prevent it. ἀγάσσεσθαι may be connected with “ἄγαν”, and can take two distinct meanings. The greatness of what we see may cause only admiration; then “ἄγαμαι” = ‘to admire,’ as Il.3. 181, 224; Od.6. 168; 23.175; or it may cause a feeling of jealousy or spite; and then “ἄγαμαι”, like “μεγαίρω”, means ‘to envy’ or ‘to be indignant at,’ as Il.17. 71; 23.639; Od.23. 64.Curtius prefers to connect “ἄγαμαι” with “γαίω”, root “γαϝ, γαυ”, as in “ἀγαυός”. Of the jealousy felt by the gods (compare Herodot. 1. 32 “τὸ θεῖον πᾶν ἐστὶ φθονερόν” Od., 3. 40; 7. 46) there are many instances in Homer. Cp. Il.7. 446 foll.; Od.8. 565; 13. 125 foll.; Il.15. 461; 17.71. See also Od.5. 119, and consult Nägelsb. Hom. Theolog. § 13.

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

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