Book 11
85
"But Sosibius, the solver of questions, quoting the lines— ἄλλος μὲν μογέων ἀποκινήσασκε τραπέζης πλεῖον ἐόν· νέστωρ δ’ ζ γέρων ἀμογητὶᾶειρεν, writes on this expression-'Now, the poet has been often reproached for making that the rest of the men could only lift this cup by a great effort, but that Nestor alone could do so without any extraordinary exertion. For it appeared unreasonable, that when Diomede and Ajax, and even Achilles too were present, Nestor should be represented as more vigorous than they, when he was so far advanced in years. But though these accusations are brought against him, we may release the poet from them by transposing the order. For in that hexameter— πλεῖον ἐὸν, νέστωρ δ’ ὁ γέρων ἀμογητὶ ἄειρεν, if we take γέρων out of the middle, we shall unite that to the beginning of the preceding line, after ἄλλος μὲν, and then we shall connect the words as before— ἄλλος μὲν γέρων μογέων ἀποκινήσασκε τραπέζης· πλεῖον ἐὸν, ο ʽδὲ νέστωρ ἀπονητὶ ἄειρεν. Now then, when the words are arranged in this way, Nestor only appears to be represented as the only one of the old men who could lift the cup without an extraordinary effort.'
