indirect speech in Iliad 1:110-115

[Bert]

I would consider the sentence from line 110 to the first two words of line 113 indirect speech.
How about from there to the end of line 115?
In other words, is Aggamemnon saying; 'I certainly prefer the girl to my wife..... 'or is it; ' You Calchas, said that I certainly prefer the girl to my wife.....'

[Paul]

Hi Bert,

I would agree that lines 110 through half of 113 constitute a kind of indirect statement: "...prophesying among the Danaans you say that..". But with the parenthesis starting in the second half of 113 we are back to first person narrative. Agamemnon is stating what he himself wants.

Cordially,

Paul

[Bert]

Hi Bert,

But with the parenthesis starting in the second half of 113....
Paul

There are no parenthesis in my copy.
Thanks.

[Paul]

There are no parenthesis in my copy.
Thanks.

Hi Bert,

Sorry, I should have been more explicit. There aren't any parentheses in my copy of Pharr either . I meant only a parenthetical remark, an aside. Maybe I used the wrong term to describe the change in Agamemnon's speech.

Cordially,

Paul

[Bert]

I see.

Is logic the only indication where indirect speech stops and direct speech takes over, or is there some grammatical indication?

[annis]

Is logic the only indication where indirect speech stops and direct speech takes over, or is there some grammatical indication?

Whoo, boy. Indirect discourse is always fun in Greek and Latin. Smyth devotes twelve pages to it (584-596). Sense is often a good hint, but usually changes in construction (inf + accusative) or mood are the better clue. Unfortunately this passage doesn't show that very well.