Difficulties scanning Homer

Greek Homeric Greek and Early Greek Poetry
1

I’m scanning the O and the I but I can only scan roughly 97% of the verses correctly. One class of troublesome lines are those lines which contain a word ending in εῳ and the next word begins with a vowel. So there is some form of epic correption going on here but I still can’t figure it out. Here are the difficult lines:

A circle above a vowel means the syllable can long or short. Ignore the bars. By the way, Hypostatic (David Chamberlain, I think) explains this by εῳ is a short vowel. However, he explains O.1.121 has ε̆ῳ̄ , maybe because it’s a verb. So maybe it only applies to dative nouns. But in O.7.89 he scans χαλκεῳ as εῳ̄ , so I don’t see a pattern. Also, note that this forum can’t really publish my system of macrons and breves, it won’t stack the macrons above the diacritics so refer to this pdf to see what I’m talking about

I.1.15

χρυ̊σέ̆|ῳ̄ ἀ̊νὰ̄ σκή̄πτρῳ̄, καὶ̄ λί̄σσε̆το̆ πά̄ντα̊ς Ἀ̊χαῑού̄ς,

I.1.374

χρυ̊σέ̆|ῳ̄ ἀ̊νὰ̄ σκή̄πτρῳ̄, καὶ̄ λί̄σσε̆το̆ πά̄ντα̊ς Ἀ̊χαῑού̄ς,

I.3.152

δε̄νδρέ̆|ῳ̄ ἐ̆φε̄ζό̆με̆νοι̊ ὄ̆πα̊ λεῑρι̊ό̆ε̄σσα̊ν ἱ̊εῖ̄σῑ·

O.1.21

ἀ̄ντι̊θέ̆|ῳ̄ Ὀ̆δυ̊σῆ̊ϊ̊ πά̊ρο̆ς ἣ̄ν γαῖ̊α̊ν ἱ̊κέ̄σθαῑ.

O.6.331

ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆϊ πάρος ἣν γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι.

O.7.89

ἀ̄ργύ̊ρε̆ο|ῑ δὲ̄ στ|ᾱθμο|ὶ̊ ἐ̄ν χᾱλκέ̆|ῳ̄ ἕ̄στα̊σα̊ν οὐ̄δῷ̄,

And here are all the lines which fit the pattern. So any theory you have has to also explain the following lines:

I.1.15

χρυ̊σέ̆|ῳ̄ ἀ̊νὰ̄ σκή̄πτρῳ̄, καὶ̄ λί̄σσε̆το̆ πά̄ντα̊ς Ἀ̊χαῑού̄ς, @

I.1.374

χρυ̊σέ̆|ῳ̄ ἀ̊νὰ̄ σκή̄πτρῳ̄, καὶ̄ λί̄σσε̆το̆ πά̄ντα̊ς Ἀ̊χαῑού̄ς, @

I.1.447

παῖ̄δᾰ φί̆|λη̄ν· τοὶ̄ | δ᾽ ὦ̄κᾰ θε̆|ῷ̄ ἱ̆ε̆|ρὴ̄ν ἑ̆κᾰ|τό̄μβη̄ν

I.2.323

τί̄πτ᾽ ἄ̆νε̆|ῳ̄ ἐ̆γέ̆|νε̄σθε̆ κά̆|ρη̄ κο̆μό̆|ω̄ντε̆ς Ἀ̆|χαῑοί̄;

I.2.549

κὰ̄δ δ᾽ ἐ̆ν Ἀ̆|θή̄νῃ̄ς | εἷ̄σε̆ν ἑ̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̄ν | πί̄ο̆νῐ | νη̄ῷ̄·

I.3.152

δε̄νδρέ̆|ῳ̄ ἐ̆φε̄ζό̆με̆νοι̊ ὄ̆πα̊ λεῑρι̊ό̆ε̄σσα̊ν ἱ̊εῖ̄σῑ· @

I.4.2

χρῡσέῳ̄ | ἐ̄ν δᾰπέ̆|δῳ̄, με̆τὰ̆ | δέ̄ σφῐσῐ | πό̄τνῐᾰ | Ἥ̄βη̄

I.5.723

χά̄λκε̆ᾰ | ὀ̄κτά̄|κνη̄μᾰ σῐ|δη̄ρέῳ̄ | ἄ̄ξο̆νῐ | ἀ̄μφί̄ς.

I.9.30

δὴ̄ν δ᾽ ἄ̆νε̆|ῳ̄ ἦ̄|σᾱν τε̆τῐ|η̄ό̆τε̆ς | υἷ̄ε̆ς Ἀ̆|χαῑῶ̄ν·

I.9.49

Ἰ̄λί̆οῠ | εὕ̄ρω̄|με̄ν· σὺ̄ν | γὰ̄ρ θεῷ̄ | εἰ̄λή̄|λοῡθμε̄ν.

I.9.691

δὴ̄ν δ᾽ ἄ̆νε̆|ῳ̄ ἦ̄|σᾱν τε̆τῐ|η̄ό̆τε̆ς | υἷ̄ε̆ς Ἀ̆|χαῑῶ̄ν·

I.10.204

ὦ̄ φί̆λοῐ | οὐ̄κ ἂ̄ν | δή̄ τῐς ἀ̆|νὴ̄ρ πε̆πί̆|θοῑθ᾽ ἑῷ̄ | αὐ̄τοῦ̄

I.11.47

Ἡ̄νῐό̆|χῳ̄ μὲ̆ν ἔ̆|πεῑτᾰ ἑ̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̆πέ̆|τε̄λλε̆ν ἕ̆|κᾱστο̄ς

I.11.140

ἀ̄γγε̆λί̆|η̄ν ἐ̄λ|θό̄ντᾰ σὺ̆ν | ἀ̄ντῐθέ̆|ῳ̄ Ὀ̆δῠ|σῆ̄ϊ̄

I.12.84

ἡ̄νῐό̆|χῳ̄ μὲ̆ν ἔ̆|πεῑτᾰ ἑ̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̆πέ̆|τε̄λλε̆ν ἕ̆|κᾱστο̄ς

I.14.219

τῆ̄ νῦ̄ν | τοῦ̄το̆ν ἱ̆|μά̄ντᾰ τε̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̄γ|κά̄τθε̆ο̆ | κό̄λπῳ̄

I.14.223

μεῑδή̄|σᾱσᾰ δ᾽ ἔ̆|πεῑτᾰ ἑ̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̄γ|κά̄τθε̆το̆ | κό̄λπῳ̄.

I.15.10

εἵ̄ᾰθ᾽, ὃ̆ | δ᾽ ἀ̄ργᾰλέ̆|ῳ̄ ἔ̆χε̆|τ᾽ ἄ̄σθμᾰτῐ | κῆ̄ρ ἀ̆πῐ|νύ̄σσω̄ν

I.16.109

αἰ̄εὶ̄ | δ᾽ ἀ̄ργᾰλέ̆|ῳ̄ ἔ̆χε̆|τ᾽ ἄ̄σθμᾰτῐ, | κὰ̄δ δέ̆ οἱ̆ | ἱ̄δρὼ̄ς

I.16.176

Σπε̄ρχεῑ|ῷ̄ ἀ̆κά̆|μᾱντῐ γῠ|νὴ̄ θεῷ̄ | εὐ̄νη̄|θεῖ̄σᾱ,

I.19.250

ἵ̄στᾰτο̆· | Τᾱλθύ̆βῐ|ο̄ς δὲ̆ θε̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̆νᾰ|λί̄γκῐο̆ς | αὐ̄δὴ̄ν

I.22.394

ᾧ̄ Τρῶ̄|ε̄ς κᾰτὰ̆ | ἄ̄στῠ θε̆|ῷ̄ ὣ̄ς | εὐ̄χε̆τό̆|ω̄ντο̄.

I.24.285

χρῡσέῳ̄ | ἐ̄ν δέ̆πᾰ|ϊ̄, ὄ̄φ|ρᾱ λεί̄|ψᾱντε̆ κῐ|οί̄τη̄ν·

O.1.21

ἀ̄ντι̊θέ̆|ῳ̄ Ὀ̆δυ̊σῆ̊ϊ̊ πά̊ρο̆ς ἣ̄ν γαῖ̊α̊ν ἱ̊κέ̄σθαῑ. @

O.2.5

βῆ̄ δ᾽ ἴ̆με̆ν | ἐ̄κ θᾰλά̆|μοῑο̆ θε̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̆νᾰ|λί̄γκῐο̆ς | ἄ̄ντη̄ν.

O.2.17

καὶ̄ γὰ̄ρ | τοῦ̄ φί̆λο̆ς | υἱ̄ὸ̆ς ἅ̆|μ᾽ ἀ̄ντῐθέ̆|ῳ̄ Ὀ̆δῠ|σῆ̄ϊ̄

O.3.376

εἰ̄ δή̄ | τοῑ νέῳ̄ | ὧ̄δε̆ θε̆|οὶ̄ πο̄μ|πῆ̄ε̆ς ἕ̆|πο̄νταῑ.

O.4.310

βῆ̄ δ᾽ ἴ̆με̆ν | ἐ̄κ θᾰλά̆|μοῑο̆ θε̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̆νᾰ|λί̄γκῐο̆ς | ἄ̄ντη̄ν,

O.6.331

ἀ̄ντι̊θέ̆|ῳ̄ Ὀ̆δυ̊σῆ̊ϊ̊ πά̊ρο̆ς ἣ̄ν γαῖ̊α̊ν ἱ̊κέ̄σθαῑ. @

O.7.89

ἀ̄ργύ̊ρε̆ο|ῑ δὲ̄ στ|ᾱθμο|ὶ̊ ἐ̄ν χᾱλκέ̆|ῳ̄ ἕ̄στα̊σα̊ν οὐ̄δῷ̄, @

O.8.453

τό̄φρᾰ δέ̆ | οἱ̄ κο̆μῐ|δή̄ γε̆ θε̆|ῷ̄ ὣ̄ς | ἔ̄μπε̆δο̆ς | ἦ̄ε̄ν.

O.8.467

τῶ̄ κέ̄ν | τοῑ καὶ̄ | κεῖ̄θῐ θε̆|ῷ̄ ὣ̄ς | εὐ̄χε̆το̆|ῴ̄μη̄ν

O.11.98

κοῡλεῷ̄ | ἐ̄γκᾰτέ̆|πη̄ξ᾽. ὁ̆ δ᾽ ἐ̆|πεὶ̄ πί̆ε̆ν | αἷ̄μᾰ κε̆|λαῑνό̄ν,

O.13.126

λή̄θε̆τ᾽ ἀ̆|πεῑλά̄|ω̄ν, τὰ̄ς | ἀ̄ντῐθέ̆|ῳ̄ Ὀ̆δῠ|σῆ̄ϊ̄

O.15.181

τῶ̄ κέ̄ν | τοῑ καὶ̄ | κεῖ̄θῐ θε̆|ῷ̄ ὣ̄ς | εὐ̄χε̆το̆|ῴ̄μη̄ν.”

O.15.520

τὸ̄ν νῦ̄ν | ἶ̄σᾰ θε̆|ῷ̄ Ἰ̆θᾰ|κή̄σῐοῐ | εἰ̄σο̆ρό̆|ω̄σῑ·

O.16.273

πτω̄χῷ̄ | λεῡγᾰλέ̆|ῳ̄ ἐ̆νᾰ|λί̄γκῐο̆ν | ἠ̄δὲ̆ γέ̆|ρο̄ντῑ.

O.17.202

πτω̄χῷ̄ | λεῡγᾰλέ̆|ῳ̄ ἐ̆νᾰ|λί̄γκῐο̆ν | ἠ̄δὲ̆ γέ̆|ρο̄ντῑ,

O.17.337

πτω̄χῷ̄ | λεῡγᾰλέ̆|ῳ̄ ἐ̆νᾰ|λί̄γκῐο̆ς | ἠ̄δὲ̆ γέ̆|ρο̄ντῑ,

O.22.291

ἀ̄ντῐθέ̆|ῳ̄ Ὀ̆δῠ|σῆ̄ϊ̆ δό̆|μο̄ν κά̆τ᾽ ἀ̆|λη̄τεύ̄|ο̄ντῑ.”

O.23.223

τὴ̄ν δ᾽ ἄ̄|τη̄ν οὐ̄ | πρό̄σθε̆ν ἑ̆|ῷ̄ ἐ̄γ|κά̄τθε̆το̆ | θῡμῷ̄

O.24.157

πτω̄χῷ̄ | λεῡγᾰλέ̆|ῳ̄ ἐ̆νᾰ|λί̄γκῐο̆ν | ἠ̄δὲ̆ γέ̆|ρο̄ντῑ,

2

The variability that you’ve observed demonstrates something of the prosodic flexibility of the Homeric hexameter, its malleability under stress. Certainly there are recurrent patterns of behavior, but you can’t expect total consistency. You do well to recognize that every line has to scan, to be recognizable as a hexameter. Your system of notation, however, according to which “A circle above a vowel means the syllable can long or short,” is misleading and uneconomical to say the least. Any given syllable will be one or the other (heavy or light), and I think you would do better to determine which it is in each case. It’s not very difficult.

One detail. Your suggestion that the hiatus of ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆϊ at O.1.121 may be “because it’s a verb” is misguided. (ἀντιθέῳ is an adjective, not a verb, but in any case what determines the scansion is its syllabic makeup.) And in this line the second syllable of πάρος ἣν is not short. That too is something you might consider.

3

<<Any given syllable will be one or the other (heavy or light), and I think you would do better to determine which it is in each case. It’s not very difficult.>> It was just a computer code to figure out what was going on, not something designed for others. In any case, in the Antigone Journal it says that Epic Correption is optional not necessary. I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll go back to the drawing board and see if that solves things.

4

Homeric Greek by Clyde Pharr: Chapter IV. Prosody “Rules of Quantity, the Hexameter”, pp. 378-80 - lists all the Rules and even more exceptions to the Rules. I found the book very helpful.

5

καί is short because a long or dipthong preceding a vowel is shortened. §1173; same for χρυσέω ανά . See Pharr Homeric Greek §1173: “When a word ends in a long vowel or a diphthong and the next word begins with a vowel, the long final vowel or diphthong is regularly shortened.” Then Pharr’s note: “Sometimes a long vowel or diphthong is shortened when followed by a vowel within the same word.”

6

Apologies to Pianophile. Did not see your response before I posted.

Gives me a chance, to ask if others agree–on the issue of Virgil v. Homer (as in Lewis’s Preface to Paradise Lost)–that scanning Virgil is much harder than scanning Homer.

1 Like
7

But not always. Take e.g. αντιθεῳ Οδυσηι (Od.1.21 etc.): the -ῳ diphthong is not shortened. Such “exceptions" illustrate something of the Homeric hexameter’s flexibility, as I mentioned. The meter is adaptable but only within certain fixed limits. And the “rules” are not prescriptive, but merely after-the-fact descriptive.

Scanning Vergil is certainly a bit different from scanning Homer, and in Vergil departures from the metrical norms are deliberate and selfconscious, but I wouldn’t say it’s harder.