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suggestion of W. J. Verdenius, REG 73 (i960) 348, that Phoinix' thought
slips imperceptibly from the respect due to a god from a hero to the respect
due to a hero from other heroes (cf. 318-2011.).
517 For the sense of pifjvis see 42611.
519-23 This is the same argument as the one that Aias will put forward
at 636-42; a decent request made by good friends and representatives of the
army is being snubbed. For Akhilleus' differing responses see 643—55n.
523 Phoinix' remark that Akhilleus 5 anger had formerly been no matter
of reproach implies that his dismissal of the illustrious ambassadors had
made it just that. Hence the strong language of Aias at 629-32, 635-6
(ocypios, (JxeTAios, vrMs? &yi*|vcop, CXAATIKTOS, KOKOS), and Patroklos 16.29-
35 (amiX av °S> vr|Af|S, OCTTTIVT|S).
524-605 The Meleagros story. A guide to the extensive bibliography
on the story is given by F. Bomer, P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphosen viii-ix
(Heidelberg 1977) 94-8; the most important papers relevant to its use here
are cited by Page, HHI 329; they include, E. Howald, RhM 73 (1924)
402-25, Kakridis, Researches n-42, Schadewaldt, Iliasstudien, 139-42, W.
Kraus, WS 63 (1948-9) 8-21, M. M. Willcock, CQ 14 (1964) 147, J. R.
March, BICS Suppl. 49 (1987) 22-46, and S. C. R. Swain, ^38 (1988)
271-6. The principal ancient sources in addition to the present passage are
[Hesiod] frr. 25 and 280 M-W, Bacchylides 5.94-154, Ovid, Met. 8.273-
525, Paus. 10.31.3, and Apollod. 1.8.1-3
The story of Kaludon (linked with stories of Elis and Pulos) is one of the
four cycles into which [Hesiod], Catalogue of Women, organized the population
of the Heroic Age, the others being those of Iolkos, Thebes, and Troy,
see West, Catalogue 137. The possession of this 'knowledge' was essential to
the art of the &0180S, and Homer clearly knows more than it suits him to
bring into the Iliad: reference to other cycles is made also at 4.3701!.,
5-395ff-3 7.i32ff., n.67off., 23-63off., 23.679, and Od. 12.69!!.
The mythological paradigm is part of the Homeric rhetoric of persuasion,
the speaker suggesting that the present situation is analogous to the one
cited. The paradigm that Phoinix requires is that of a warrior who in anger
scorned the appeals of his friends for aid. Phoinix cites the example of the
Aetolian Meleagros. It is not the happiest of choices. Having just declared
that even the gods are orpsTTToi (497) he cites the vindictiveness of
Artemis over the sin of Oineus, cf. Bacchylides 5.94-104 yaKsirbv | ©ecov
TrccpaTpEvyou voov | av8peaaiv einxOoviois. | KOC! yap ocv TrAaSjiTnrros Otveus |
iraOaev KcxAuKoaTEcpavou | aepivas yphov 'ApTeuiSos AeuKcoAevou | Aiacrduevos
TToAecov I T' aiycov Ouaiaiai Trcrrf|p | KCU pocov cpoiviKovcoTcov | aAA* dviKorrov
0e& I sayev xoAov. Moreover the end of the saga of Meleagros was the hero's
death. The end of Meleagros, of course, was no part of Phoinix' parable,
and he omits all direct reference to it as irrelevant (and indeed inimical) to
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