The Eagles and the Hare

Extract

The construction assumed for the first sentence in this passage is that adopted by Verrall and Headlam, apart from some differences in detail. It seems unlikely that ἰδών can refer to what precedes, as some have thought; for it can hardly be supposed that the poet, who is using speed and economy (a point often neglected by critics), would pause to tell us that the great Seer merely ‘sees’ two distinctively coloured birds which ‘have appeared near by in a conspicuous station’ compare Homer's method (B321). Also it would involve us in the doubtful construction Ατρεϊδας έδάη λαγοδαίτας for ‘he knew the Ἀ. to be the λ.’ (or vice versa); the nearest parallel to this would appear to be Xen. Anab. 1. 7. 4 οἴους γνώσεσθε τοùς ἄνθρὡπονς, where the adjective makes some difference.