Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2009
J. T. Hooker argues that at Il. 24.649 ⋯πικερτομ⋯ων must mean ‘taunting’ and, since ‘taunting’ makes no sense, that ⋯πικερτομ⋯ων must have entered our Iliad at this point from a version of the Iliad slightly different from ours in which it did make sense. I wish to argue that ⋯πικερτομ⋯ων has a meaning different from ‘taunting’, which makes good sense of this, and every other, context.
1 Hooker, J. T., ‘A Residual Problem inIliad 24”, CQ 36 (1986), 32–7 (hereafter ‘Hooker')CrossRefGoogle Scholar. I am grateful to Mr Hooker for comments on an early draft of this paper.
2 Hooker, 35, commenting on A. Heubeck ‘Zwei homerische πεῖραι (Od. 24.205ff.–Il;. 2.53ff.)’ Živa Antika 31 (1981), 73–83Google Scholar.
3 Hooker, 33–5.
4 I am very grateful to J. G. F. Powell and A. M. Davies for help on this point. Professor Davies also pointed me to Troxler, , Sprache und Wortschatz Hesiods (1964), 119ff.Google Scholar, for the revival of this ancient etymology.
5 Possibly ‘intentionally’. One must never underestimate Achilles' desire to stay on top, and his mood changes swiftly in this encounter (cf. e.g. 559–70).
6 Willcock, M. M., The Iliad of Homer, Books XIII–XXIV (London, 1984) on 24.649Google Scholar; Macleod (see note 9) on 649.
7 See further Rhode, E. in Rhein. Mus. 50 (1895), 600ff.Google Scholar, abbreviated in Psyche, chapter 1 (8th edition), translated by Hillis, W. B. (London, 1925)Google Scholar. Professor Trevor Saunders points me to Plato, , Laws 865c–866bGoogle Scholar for the ‘ancient tale’ of the man murdered by violence who turns his fury upon the murderer.
8 e.g. Od. 3.399, 15.5, etc.
9 Macleod, C. W., Homer: Iliad Book XXIV (Cambridge, 1982) on 448–56Google Scholar.
10 Compare, for example, Eumaios' hut in Odyssey 14, which has a πρ⋯δρομος (5). an αὐλ⋯ (5), and a πρ⋯θυρον (34) (but no αἴθουσα is mentioned) even though the building is described as a κλισ⋯α (48). These are flexible and indeterminate expressions.