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Book Eleven
but the subject may be vultures, as here, or dogs, as at 22.66. - As an
epithet of wings TTUKVOC would be expected to mean 'with dense (feathers)',
cf. 8puud m/Kv& at 118 and other uses of thickets and foliage. TTTEpd TTUKVOC
is a formula (3X and as TTUKIVOC TTTEpd, Od. 5.53), and may be used loosely
in the present context, for the action of a bird 'flinging its densely feathered
wings' about a corpse is hardly comprehensible, TTUKVOC may be understood
here as 'fast beating', as certainly at Sappho fr. 1.11 L-P TTUKVCX SIVVEVTES
TTTepa. The vulture seizes the carrion and to help it tear the beakful loose
flaps its wings. It would be possible in principle to segment the expression
as nepl Trrepd | TTUKVOC |3aA6vTes (for such persistence of the words and form
of a formula in spite of radically different syntax cf. UEVOEIKEOT TroAAd 8* at
Od. 14.232). But TTUKvd as an adverb is restricted in the Iliad to the formula
TTUKvd udAa arevdxcov (-OVTOC) 2 x .
455 The reading of OCT, auTdp EU', ei KE Odvco, is that of Aristarchus
(Did/A), for aCrrdp ETTEI KE Odvco; it entails the correction of the vulgate
KTEpioOcxi |i£ (yE Aristarchus). The emphatic EU(E) is attractive, but yE is
pointless; the paradosis may surely stand.
458 01: Zenodotus (Did/A) read oft, so as to give a clearer construction
to the isolated participle o"TTacx0EVTOS. oO, however, confirms the paradosis
since TOO would be the correct epic pronoun. dvEcrovTO is a more violent
word than that used of Diomedes' wound at 5.113 (dvrjKovTi^E). We must
understand a serious wound in spite of the bold face Odysseus put upon it.
459-88 The second part of Odysseus' gallant stand closely follows the
pattern of the first:
A Odysseus decides to make a stand, 401-10.
B Simile of a boar set upon by dogs, 414-20.
C He is wounded by Sokos, 420-58.
A' Odysseus calls for help, 459-73.
B' Simile of wounded deer set upon by jackals, 474-84.
C He is rescued by Aias, 485-8.
460 =13.332.
462 It is natural for the man in peril to call for help, cf. 13.477, 17.120,
but the thrice repeated cry is untypical. The picture drawn at 401-2 is still
valid: Odysseus is isolated (470) and thoroughly alarmed. Odysseus possessed
a UEydAr)v OTTOC (3.221), being $oi\v dyocOos in fact if not in formular
diction.
465 Aias is the natural choice for Menelaos' appeal: he was the best
warrior of the Achaean front rank after Akhilleus (2.768, 17.279-80), and
outstanding in defence.
466 IKET* dOTTj (OCT, for IKETO 9covf|) is Aristarchus' reading, which he
preferred (Did/A) because it echoed T^OCTE at 462.
470 The short vowel of UOVCOOEIS (< uovp-) surprises, cf. UOUVCOOEVTCC {Od.
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