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By intonation also; for example, the solutions of Hippias of Thasos, his δίδομεν δέ οἱHom. Il. 2.15. Our text is different. Aristotle, who quotes the line agains elsewhere, read thus: No longer the gods in the halls of Olympus Strive in their plans, for Hera has bent them all to her purpose Thus by her prayers; and we grant him to win the boast of great glory. Zeus is instructing the Dream, whom he is sending to lure Agamemnon to disaster. Problem: The last statement is a lie. Solution: Change the accent and the statement δίδομεν δέ οἱ becomes a command (the infinitive διδόμεναι written in a shortened form and used as an imperative). The lie will then be told by the Dream and not by Zeus, who may thus save his reputation for veracity. and τὸ μὲν οὗ καταπύθεται ὄμβρῳHom. Il. 23.327: A fathom high from the earth there rises a stump all withered, A stump of an oak or a pine, that rots not at all in the rain. Problem: The last statement is incredible. Solution: Alter the breathing and τὸ μὲν οὐ becomes τὸ μὲν οὗ and means part of it rots in the rain.;
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and by punctuation; for example, the lines of Empedocles: Soon mortal grow they that aforetime learnt Immortal ways, and pure erstwhile commingled.The Problem is erstwhile goes with pure or with commingled. The former interpretation seems to give the best solution. Empedocles is speaking of the elements or atoms.
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Or again by ambiguity, e.g. παρῴχηκεν δὲ πλέω νύξ, where πλείω is ambiguous.Hom. Il. 10.252: Come now, the night is far spent and at hand is the dawning, Far across are the stars and more than two parts of the night-time Are gone, but a third is still left us. Problem: If more than two parts are gone, a third cannot be left. Solution: πλέω here means full, i.e., the full night of two-thirds = full two-thirds of the night is gone, and so Homer’s arithmetic is saved.
