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[351] δειλαί. Nitzsch maintains that in Homer “δειλός” must signify ‘poor’ and ‘weak,’ and so follows one interpretation of the Schol. “αἱ πρὸς τοὺς δειλοὺς καὶ ἀσθενεῖς ἐγγύαι δειλαὶ καὶ αὐταὶ καὶ μηδὲν δυνάμεναι, ὡς μὴ δυναμένων τῶν τοιούτων ἐπεξελθεῖν ἀδικήματα δἰ ἀσθένειαν”. This makes δειλῶν refer to Hephaestus. ‘Even the surety that a weak man gets is but a weak security to hold in hand,’ this with direct reference to the next line πῶς σε δέοιμι; but the combination of “δειλός” with “οὐτιδανός” in Il.1. 293 suggests that we may give the meaning of ‘sorry,’ ‘wretched’ to “δειλός”, and then follow the alternative interpretation of the Schol. “αἱ ὑπὲρ τῶν δειλῶν καὶ κακῶν ἐγγύαι καὶ αὐταὶ κακαί εἰσι, τὴν πίστιν ὑπὲρ τῶν τοιούτων μηδενὸς τηρεῖν δυναμένου”. Translate then, ‘Even surety for a sorry fellow is a sorry thing to hold in hand.’ Cp. Eustath. “ἐγγυᾷ μὲν ὁ διδούς: ἐγγυᾶται δ᾽ ὁ λαμβάνων”. So Hephaestus asks, ‘If Ares, who is a slippery fellow, refuse to pay, what is the good of your promise? I cannot put you in chains till the debt is paid.’ Poseidon answers, ‘In case of Ares not choosing to pay, I will pay myself.’ δέοιμι means really ‘put thee in chains,’ and must not be diluted to some such meaning as ‘keep a hold on thee.’ Apoll. and Hesych. give “δεσμεύοιμι” (see crit. note).

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

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