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[80] ἤ κέν τίς μοι ἐρίσσεται (subjunctive). In this line, the first word ἀνδρῶν is opposed to “Ζηνί”, 78. This use of “ἤ κε” with the subjunct. is found in Il.9. 701“ἀλλ᾽ ἦ τοι κεῖνον μὲν ἐάσομεν ἤ κεν ἴῃσι”

“ἦ κε μένῃ”, and with the optat. in Od.14. 184“ἤ κεν ἁλώῃ ἦ κε φύγοι”. In the phrase “ἤ τις . . ἠὲ καὶ οὐκί” we have the primitive equivalent of the later phrase in Plato ( Rep.496 B) etc. “ἤ τις ἢ οὐδείς”, ‘few or none.’ Nitzsch compares inf. 632 “Ἀντίνὀ ἦ ῥά τι ἴδμεν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἦε καὶ οὐκί”; also Il.2. 238, 300 Il., 349.That the general meaning of the passage is that few, if any, can compete with him is shown by the γάρ which follows.

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

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