Book v., to take the place of the one that was removed to Book i., 1—79, were the only things that were done to give even a semblance of unity to the old scheme and the new, and to conceal the fact that the Muse, after being asked to sing of one subject, spends two-thirds of her time in singing a very different one, with a climax for which no one has asked her. For roughly the Return occupies eight Books, and Penelope and the Suitors sixteen.
I believe this to be substantially correct.
Lastly, to deal with a very unimportant point, I observe that the Leipsic Teubner edition of 1894 makes Books ii. and iii. end with a comma. Stops are things of such far more recent date than the Odyssey, that there does not seem much use in adhering to the text in so small a matter; still, from a spirit of mere conservatism I have preferred to do so. Why Ἦμος at the beginning of Books ii. and viii., and Ὧς at the beginning of Book vii. should have initial capitals in an edition far too careful to admit a supposition of inadvertence, when ὧς at the beginning of Books vi. and xiii., and ἦμος at the beginning of Book xvii. have no initial capitals, I cannot determine. No other Books of the Odyssey have initial capitals except the three above mentioned, unless the first word of the Book is a proper name.
S. BUTLER.
July 25, 1900.
