i.e. Amphiaraus—see above, [Note 23], [p. 420]. Homer (Odys. XV. 244) speaks of him as beloved by Jove and Apollo. The Homoloidian gates were so called either from mount Homole in Thessaly (Pausan. IX. 8), or from Homolois, a daughter of Niobe and Amphion.—Unger. p. 324.
“With bitter taunts his evil-omened name,
Making it spell his ugly sin that owns it.”
The name Polynices means literally much strife; and there can be no question that the prophet in this place is described as taunting the Son of Oedipus with the evil omen of his name after the fashion so familiar with the Greek writers. See Prometheus, [Note 8], [p. 388]. The text, however, is in more places than one extremely corrupt; and, in present circumstances, I quite agree with Well. and Lin. that we are not warranted in introducing the conjectural reading of ὄμμα for ὄνομα, though there can be no question that the reading ὄμμα admits of a sufficiently appropriate sense.—See Dunbar, Class. Museum, No. XII. p. 206.
“The wise man is what fools but seem to be.”
“When this tragedy was first acted, Aristides, surnamed the Just, was present. At the declamation of these words—
ὀυ γὰρ δοκ(ε)ιν ἄριστος ἀλλ᾽ (ἐ)ίναι θέλει,
the whole audience, by an instantaneous instinct, directed their eyes to him.”—Plutarch, Apoth. Reg. et duc. Sallust describes Cato in the same language—“Esse quam videri bonus malebat.”—Stan.