Christopher W. Blackwell,
Casey Dué,
Mary Ebbott,
Neel Smith,
edd.
This is a side-by-side comparison of two versions on an interesting “text” that appears on several Byzantine manuscripts of
the Homeric Iliad. As each of the twenty-four poetic books begins, some of these manuscripts will include a one-line summary
of the contents of that book. These summaries are themselves in Greek, and in the same poetic meter, dactylic hexameter, as
the epic poem. This document compares the 24 one-line metrical summaries in the 10th century manuscript Marcianus Graecus
Z.454 (=822), the “Venetus A”, with those of the 11th century manuscript Escorialensis ω.I.12 (513 = Allen E4).
Venetus A: 1 Alpha Text:
+ἄλφαλιτὰςΧρύσου.λοιμὸνστρατοῦ·ἔχθοςἀνάκτων+ Translation: Alpha contains prayers of Chrysēs; plague among the army; enmity of the leaders.
Escorialensis
4: 1 Alpha Text:
ἄλφαλιτὰςΧρύσου·λοιμὸνστρατοῦ·ἔχθοςἀνάκτων. Translation: Alpha contains prayers of Chrysēs; plague among the army;
enmity of the leaders.
Venetus A: 2 Beta Text:
+βῆταδ’ὄνειρονἔχει·ἀγορήν·καὶνῆαςἀριθμεῖ· Translation: And Beta has a dream, an assembly, and enumerates the ships.
Escorialensis
4: 2 Beta Text:
βῆταδ’ὄνειρονἔχει·ἀγορήν·καὶνῆαςἀριθμεῖ· Translation: And Beta has a dream, an assembly, and enumerates the
ships.
Venetus A: 3 Gamma Text:
γάμμα δ’ ἄρ. ἀφ’Ἑλένης.οἴοιςμόθοςἐστὶνἀκοίταις· Translation: And then Gamma is from the point of view of Helen; the pitch of battle is only
for husbands.
Escorialensis
4: 3 Gamma Text:
γάμμα δ’ ἄρ’ ἀμφ’Ἑλένηι·οἴοιςμόθοςἐστὶνἀκοίταις· Translation: And then Gamma is around Helen; the pitch of battle is
only for husbands.
Venetus A: 4 Delta Text:
δέλτα θεῶν ἀγορην·ὅρκωνχύσιν·ἄρεοςἀρχήν· Translation: Delta contains an assembly of the gods, many oaths, the onslaught of Ares.
Escorialensis
4: 4 Delta Text:
δέλτα θεῶν ἀγορὴ·ὅρκωνχύσις·ἄρεοςἀρχή. Translation: Delta is an assembly of the gods, many oaths, the
onslaught of Ares.
Venetus A: 5 Epsilon Text:
εἶ. βάλλει Κυθέρειαν. Ἄρηά τε. Τυδέος ὑιός: Translation: “E”: The son of Tydeus strikes Aphrodite and Ares.
Escorialensis
4: 5 Epsilon Text:
εἶ· βάλλει Κυθέρειαν· Ἄρηά τε· Τυδέος ὑιός. Translation: “E”: The son of Tydeus strikes Aphrodite and
Ares.
Venetus A: 6 Zeta Text:
ζῆτα· δὰρ.ἈνδρομάχηςτὲκαὶἝκτορόςἐστ’ὁαριστύς· Translation: And then Zeta is the fond discourse of both Andromache and Hektor.Note: While there seems to be space in “ὁ αριστύς”, we are
satisfied that this is meant to be one word; the scribe is meticulous
about providing a breathing at the beginning of a word, and the alpha
clearly has none. But why does ὁαριστύς have a rough breathing? Did the
scribe, unfamiliar with this exclusively epic word, guess wrong at the
(no longer pronounced in the 10th century) breathing?
Escorialensis
4: 6 Zeta Text:
ζῆτα· δ’ἄρ’ἈνδρομάχηςκαὶἝκτορόςἐστιὀαριστύς. Translation: And then Zeta is the fond discourse of Andromache and
Hektor.
Venetus A: 7 Eta Text:
ἦταδ’· Αἴας πολέμιζε μόνῳμόνοςἝκτοριδίῳ· Translation: And Eta: Aias fights one-on-one with radiant
Hektor.Note: Between E4 and the Venetus A, the words translated here
“one-on-one” are reverse: μόνος μόνωι (in E4) versus μόνωι μόνος (in the
Venetus A). The two versions are equally correct, grammatically and
metrically.
Escorialensis
4: 7 Eta Text:
ἦτα·δ’ Αἴας πολέμιζε μόνοςμόνωιἝκτοριδίωι. Translation: And Eta: Aias fights one-on-one with radiant
Hektor.Note: Between E4 and the Venetus A, the words translated here
“one-on-one” are reverse: μόνος μόνωι (in E4) versus μόνωι μόνος (in the
Venetus A). The two versions are equally correct, grammatically and
metrically.
Venetus A: 8 Theta Text:
θῆτα· θεῶν ἀγορή·Τρώωνκράτος·Ἕκτοροςεὖχος· Translation: Theta is an assembly of the gods, the power of the
Trojans, the boast of Hektor.
Escorialensis
4: 8 Theta Text:
θῆτα· θεῶν ἀγορήν·Τρώωνκράτος·Ἕκτοροςἀρχή. Translation: Theta contains an assembly of the gods. The might of the
Trojans. The onslaught of Hektor.
Venetus A: 9 Iota Text:
ἐξεσίη δ’ Ἀχιλῆος ἀπειθέος ἐστὶν ἰῶτα: Translation: And an embassy to implacable Achilleus, is Iota.
Escorialensis
4: 9 Iota Text:
ἐξεσίη δ’ Ἀχιλῆος ἀπειθέος ἐστὶν ἰῶτα. Translation: And a mission to implacable Achilleus, is Iota.
Venetus A: 10 Kappa Text:
κάππαδ’ὰρἀμφοτέρωνσκοπιαζέμενἤλυθονἄνδρες: Translation: And Kappa: men from both sides went forth to spy.
Escorialensis
4: 10 Kappa Text:
κάππα·δ’ἄρ’ἀμφοτέρωνσκοπιάζεμενἤλυθονἄνδρες. Translation: And Kappa: men from both sides went forth to spy.
Venetus A: 11 Lambda Text:
λάμβδαδ’.ἀριστῆαςΔαναῶνβάλονἝκτοροςἄνδρες: Translation: And Lambda. Men of Hektor strike the best of the Danaans.
Escorialensis
4: 11 Lambda Text:
λάβδαδ’ἀριστῆαςΔαναῶνβάλονἝκτοροςἄνδρες. Translation: And Lambda. Men of Hektor strike the best of the Danaans.
Venetus A: 12 Mu Text:
μῦ Τρώων παλάμῃσι κατήριπε τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν· Translation: Mu. By the hands of the Trojans, the Achaians’ wall is hurled down.
Escorialensis
4: 12 Mu Text:
μῦ Τρώων παλάμῃσι κατήριπε τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν· Translation: Mu. By the hands of the Trojans, the Achaians’ wall is hurled down.
Venetus A: 13 Nu Text:
νῦ·δὲ.ΠοσειδάωνΔαναοῖςκράτοςώπασελάθρῃ. Translation: And Nu. Poseidon gives power to the Danaans in secret.
Escorialensis
4: 13 Nu Text:
νῦδὲΠοσειδάωνΔαναοῖςκράτοςώπασελάθρῃ: Translation: And Nu. Poseidon gives power to the Danaans in secret.
Venetus A: 14 Xi Text:
ξῖ. Κρονίδην ὕπνῳ.λεχέεσσίτε.ήπαφενἭρη· Translation: Xi. Hera beguiles the Son of Kronos by sleep and the pleasures of the couch.
Escorialensis
4: 14 Xi Text:
ξῖ· Κρονίδην ὕπνῳλεχέεσσίτεἤπαφενἭρη: Translation: Xi. Hera beguiles the Son of Kronos by sleep and the pleasures of the couch.
Venetus A: 15 Omicron Text:
οὐΚρονίδηςκεχόλωτοΠοσειδάονικαὶἭρῃ· Translation: “O”. The Son of Kronos is angered at Poseidon and Hera.
Escorialensis
4: 15 Omicron Text:
οὐ.ΚρονίδηςκεχόλωτοΠοσειδάονικαὶἭρῃ: Translation: “O”. The Son of Kronos is angered at Poseidon and Hera.
Venetus A: 16 Rho Text:
ῥῶ.ΔαναοὶΤρῶέςτε νέκυν πέρι χείρας ἔμιστον: Translation: Rho. The Danaans and Trojans clash over the corpse.
Escorialensis
4: 16 Rho Text:
ῥῶΔαναοὶΤρῶέςτε· νέκυν περὶ χείρας ἔμιστον: Translation: Rho. The Danaans and Trojans clash over the corpse.
Venetus A: 18 Sigma Text:
σίγμα·ΘέτιςἈχιλῆϊπαρ’Ἡφαίστουφέρεν.ὅπλα: Translation: Sigma. Thetis brings arms from Hephaestus for Achilleus.
Escorialensis
4: 18 Sigma Text:
σίγμαΘέτιςἈχιλῆϊπαρ’Ἡφαίστουφέρενὅπλα: Translation: Sigma. Thetis brings arms from Hephaestus for Achilleus.
Venetus A: 19 Tau Text:
ταῦ δ’.ἀπέληγεχόλοιο.καὶἔκθορε.διὸςἈχιλλεύς: Translation: And Tau. Radiant Achilleus sets aside anger and springs forth.
Escorialensis
4: 19 Tau Text:
ταῦ δ’ἀπέληγεχόλοιοκαὶἔκθορεδιὸςἈχιλλεύς: Translation: And Tau. Radiant Achilleus sets aside anger and springs forth.
Venetus A: 20 Upsilon Text:
ῦ.μακάρωνἔριςὦρτο·φέρειδ’ἐπὶκάρτοςἈχαιοῖς· Translation: “U”. Strife arises among the gods and brings strength to the Achaeans.
Escorialensis
4: 20 Upsilon Text:
ῦμακάρωνἔριςὦρτοφέρειδ’ἐπὶκάρτοςἈχαιοῖς: Translation: “U”. Strife arises among the gods and brings strength to the Achaeans.
Venetus A: 21 Phi Text:
φῖ.κρατερῷκαταχεύματ’ἐδάμνατοΤρώαςἈχιλλεύς· Translation: Phi. By an even greater downpouring, Achilleus overcomes the Trojans.
Escorialensis
4: 21 Phi Text:
φῖκρατερῷκαταχεύματ’ἐδάμματοΤρώαςἈχιλλεύς· Translation: Phi. By an even greater downpouring, Achilleus overcomes the Trojans.
Venetus A: 22 Chi Text:
χῖ δ’ ἄρα.τρὶςπεριτεῖχοςάγων.κτάνενἝκτορ’Ἀχιλλεύς: Translation: Chi. And leading him around the walls three times, Achilleus kills Hektor.
Escorialensis
4: 22 Xi Text:
χῖ δ’ ἄρατρὶςπεριτεῖχοςἄγων,κτάνενἝκτορ’Ἀχιλλεύς: Translation: Chi. And leading him around the walls three times, Achilleus kills Hektor.
Venetus A: 23 Psi Text:
ψῖ.Δαναοῖσινἀγῶναδιδοὺς.ἐτέλεσσενἈχιλλεύς: Translation: Psi. Achilleus completes giving games for the Danaans.
Escorialensis
4: 23 Psi Text:
ψῖΔαναοῖσινἀγῶναδιδοὺςἐτέλεσσενἈχιλλεύς: Translation: Psi. Achilleus completes giving games for the Danaans.
Venetus A: 24 Omega Text:
ὦ Πριάμῳ νέκυν υἷα.λαβὼνγέραδῶκενἈχιλλεύς Translation: “Ō”. Achilleus, having taken a ransom, gives Priam the corpse of his son.
Escorialensis
4: 24 Omega Text:
ὦ Πριάμῳ νέκυν υἷαλαβὼνγέραδῶκενἈχιλλεύς Translation: “Ō”. Achilleus, having taken a ransom, gives Priam the corpse of his son.
Text:
+ ἄλφα λιτὰς Χρύσου. λοιμὸν στρατοῦ· ἔχθος ἀνάκτων + Translation: Alpha contains prayers of Chrysēs; plague among the army; enmity of the leaders.
Text:
ἄλφα λιτὰς Χρύσου· λοιμὸν στρατοῦ· ἔχθος ἀνάκτων. Translation: Alpha contains prayers of Chrysēs; plague among the army;
enmity of the leaders.