ΝΕΠΟΔΕΣ ΚΑΛΗΣ ΑΛΟΣγΔΝΗΣ Od. δ 404.

Extract

There is a general agreement among English scholars as to the meaning and derivation of these strange words: Merry and Riddell ad loc., the admirable article in Liddell and Scott, and Dr. Giles, agree in connecting ѵ⋯ποδες with nepos, neptis, ⋯νεψιóς. The short ο in the declension has come from false analogy with τρíπουε and τετρ⋯ποѵς, 'Aλοσύδѵη is probably for 'Aλοσύνδη ‘salt water.’ Other derivations of ѵ⋯ποδѵς refute themselves. ‘Brood’ is the rendering now approved, but although this gives the general sense, it does not quite hit the centre; and no critics have seen the reason for the choice of this peculiar word.