[551]. The “goddess” is, of course, the Muse. Cf. fr. [5].
[552]. The word μονίῃ, if it is right, cannot mean “rest,” but only solitude. There is no reason for altering περιηγέι, though Simplicius has περιγηθέι.
[553]. The masculine καλλήσας shows that the subject cannot have been Φιλότης; and Karsten was doubtless right in believing that Empedokles introduced the simile of a baker here. It is in his manner to take illustrations from human arts.
[554]. The MSS. of Clement have ἥλιον ἀρχήν and the reading ἡλίου ἀρχήν is a mere makeshift. Diels reads ἥλικά τ’ ἀρχήν, “the first (elements) equal in age.”
[555]. The lines are referred to Xenophanes by Aristotle, who quotes them de Caelo, Β, 13. 294 a 21. See above, Chap. II. p. [137].
[556]. I have translated Diels’s conjecture ἀπεστέγασεν δέ οἱ αὐγάς, | ἔστ’ ἂν ἴῃ καθύπερθεν. The MSS. have ἀπεσκεύασεν and ἔστε αἶαν.
[557]. Reading στείροις with Diels, Hermes, xv. loc. cit.
[558]. Retaining εἴδεος (i.e. ἴδεος), which is read in the MSS. of Simplicius. Cf. above, p. 243, [n. 549].
[559]. That Empedokles regarded milk as putrefied blood is stated by Aristotle (de Gen. An. Δ, 8. 777 a 7). The word πύον means pus. There may be a punning allusion to πυός, “beestings,” but that has its vowel long.
[560]. Said of women in reference to births in the seventh and ninth months.