Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/336

300 wall: and near the farthest threshold of the well-reared palace was a way to a narrow street, but well-fitted doors enclosed it: this Ulysses desired the swineherd to guard, standing near it; for it was the only approach. But Agelaus addressed them, speaking the word to all:

"O friends, will not some one go up to the high-raised door, and tell the people? and there would very quickly be an alarm: then perchance this man will shoot an arrow for the last time."

But him Melanthius, the goatherd, addressed in turn: "It is not possible, O Jove-nurtured Agelaus; for very near are the beautiful doors of the hall, and difficult is the mouth of the

. As none of the commentators appear satisfied on the point, I will propose my own explanation. The particle in vs. 127, is used adversatively, and shows that the, was distinct from the. Eumæus ( in vs. 129) is ordered to guard the former way, while the suitors, especially Agelaus, sought to reach the, which led to the armoury-chamber, to which Melanthius afterwards ascended, (vs. 142,) and there met his death (174, sqq.). The expression, in vs. 143, appears to be identical with the , especially if we compare in vs. 142, with  in vs. 132. Now, although the alarm might be given from the chamber, to which the led, (vss. 133, sq.,) yet there was but one entrance, (, vs. 130,) by which the people could have rushed to the assistance of the suitors, and defeated the purpose of Ulysses (vs. 134). But Melanthius objects that it was no use to give the alarm, because the door of the hall was close by, and the entrance to the was difficult (i. e. narrow, hard of access). It appears to me that the chief difficulty arises from misunderstanding the sense of, which the grammarians (see Alberti on Hesych. t. ii. p. 434, and Pollux, ix. 5) unite in interpreting "a narrow street," , or. Hesychius is perhaps nearest the truth, when he also says,, the exedra of the Latins, (cf. Vitruv. v. 11,) or the of Pollux, vii. 27. But I believe that here =, or , (cf. Pollux, v. 14,) "a jakes" or "draught." So it is used by Aristoph. Pac. 157, . Nor am I quite without ancient authority for this supposition; for Hipponax, according to the Etym. Magn. s. v., fol. 132. A. 2, understood it in the same sense. If we compare the house of Sallust discovered at Pompeii, (see Library of Entertaining Knowledge, Pompeii, vol. ii. pp. 109, 121,) we shall find that the was situated very near the, as well as that it was closely connected with the private apartments; we may therefore fairly understand the mention of the  in vs. 137, as well as the difficulty of entrance,  of which Melanthius speaks. I have however translated the passage according to the old interpretation, leaving this new explanation to the consideration of other scholars.