Homeric Questions and On the Cave of the Nymphs

And: "The man-destroying battle bristled."

A We must carefully observe the poet's craftsmanship in all things, and the agreement of the names within it to himself. For light being in our eyes, B through which we see illuminated things, he says of blindness: sometimes "he deprived the eye," representing the taking away of seeing. At other times, "he blinded the eye." Saying that which is deprived of shining is "dark." And he said the phantom deprived of shining is "dim." For by the presence of light, the eye also appears to see the things that are seen. Since there is a twofold confusion of the eyes, Γ according to Plato: either through darkness, or through the excess of commensurate light. That through darkness, not shining or glimmering, he called "to deprive of light" and "dim." But that through radiance, such as that of bronze, whence the light of bronze deprives the sight, from flashing helmets, newly polished breastplates, and shining shields. Whence he also crafted epithets of bronze, D "shimmering bronze" original: "Νώροπα χαλκόν" and "gleaming bronze," signifying that which does not allow the eyes to see because of the radiance present. But if "to shine" original: "μέρδειν" is to glisten, and "not to shine" original: "ἀμέρδειν" is to deprive, then "excessively shining" would be "terrible" original: "σμερδάλεον". And those intensified, as in "very dire." When, therefore, he says regarding the dragon, "it looks terrible," let us hear it as the eyes shining intensely. For "dragon" is said from "to see" original: "δρακῶ". And we shall accept the "terrible-looking lions" as the impressions from their frightfulness. For the lion is named from "to look." And he himself will interpret what "terrible" is regarding it by saying, "flashing." And the shield of Athena, because of the flashing, is "terrible and fearful." For that which is terrible and fearful is also that which is excessive.