A grammar of the Homeric dialect - Wilbourhall.org

3/2 METRE. [393.
The word occurs six times (counting
the proper name *Hz/o\//-),
and except in one place (where it begins the line) always requires
an initial consonant.
^pain
the phrase em fjpa (f)piv
:
to cfioose or
referred to the root var meaning
The only instance of this word (II. 23. 126 /ze'ya rjptov)
is in
favour of initial F.
An initial consonant is shown by hiatus in 23 places (6 8e
tero,
iepcvav, &c.) : there are four adverse places, viz. II. 18. 501,
Od. 2. 327., 10. 246., 14. 142. It is not connected with irj/u,
but is to be referred to root vi, meaning to aim at, wish (L.
Meyer, Bezz. Beitr. i. 301).
"lXios.
An initial consonant is indicated in about 50 places the
;
number of adverse instances is 14. The derivation of this important
word is unknown.
9 9
lpos, lpis.
These words may be connected with etpo> to tell. If so, the F
of *lpis is to be traced in &Kea 9 Ipi$ (19 times), &s e(ar', 2>pro Se
T
'I/ns (three times), /3acr/c' i0i, Tpt KrA. ;
that of *lpos, Od. 18. 73,
334 (but not always, see w. 38, 56, 233).
393.] Loss of F in Homer. The chief instances in which loss
of an original F can be shown to have taken place in the language
of Homer fall under the following rule :
When the original
initial F is followed by the vowels o,
the diphthong ou, it produces no effect on the metre of Homer.
The following are words to which this rule will apply * :
6pdci>, oupos (and avpws) a watcher ; op, &c.
opos mountain (cp. Bopeaj), and 6p06s upright, which may be
from the same root (cp. the Laconian "Aprejuu? BupOia). There
is only one instance of hiatus (viz. Od. 3. 290 to-a opta-a-iv)-
opru| (Sanscr. vartakas a quail) appears
which does not admit F (Od. 5. 123).
in the name
'
* See an article by Leo Meyer, K. Z. xxiii. pp. 49 ff.