Aristotle, Physics 217b29

[Tugodum]

ἐχόμενον δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων ἐστὶν ἐπελθεῖν περὶ χρόνου.
I take the meaning to be: "For the one who follows closely what has been said it is possible to discuss time." If this is correct, why is ἐστὶν enclitic?
p.s. Or is the meaning: "What follows closely what has been said is to discuss time."?

[polemistes]

I think your last suggestion is correct. For the first meaning ἑχόμενον would need to be in the dative, and, I suppose, have an article. And then it would mean something like "for one clinging to what has been said...", since I don't think the meaning "follow" can be used metaphorically as in "follow an argument". But I'm also somewhat unsure about the possible uses of ἔχω, so someone may correct me.

[Tugodum]

Thank you, I thought (probably mistakenly) that ἐχόμενον could be taken as an accusative of respect.

[seneca2008]

LSJ has this:

"C Med., hold oneself fast, cling closely, .........

3. come next to, follow closely, ib. 1.8.4; ἕπεσθαι ἐχομένους ὅτι μάλιστα τῶν ἁρμάτων Id. Cyr. 7.1.9; of peoples or places, to be close, border on, c. gen., Hdt. 4.169, Th. 2.96, etc.; freq. in part., τὴν ἐχομένην [τῶν νεωρίων] στοάν Aen. Tact. 11.3; οἱ ἐ. the neighbouring people, Hdt. 1.134; ὁ ἐχόμενος the next man, Aen.Tact. 22.27; of Time, τὸ ἐχόμενον ἔτος the next year, Th. 6.3; ὁ ἐ. διαλογισμός PRev.Laws 16.15 (iii B.C.); τὰ ἐχόμενα τούτοις what follows, Pl. Grg. 494e (without τούτοις Isoc. 6.29)."