[65] The subject to ἀῦσαι is “τινα”, expressing, distributively, all the remainder of the crews. For a similar use of “τις” compare Il.2. 355“πρίν τινα πὰρ Τρώων ἀλόχῳ κατακοιμηθῆναι”. The Ambrose Schol. says, “ἀρχαῖον ἔθος ἦν τῶν ἐπὶ ξένης ἀπολλυμένων τὰς ψυχὰς ἐκ τρίτου ἀνακαλεῖν. τοῦτο δὲ ἐγίνετο ἵνα, εἴ τις ὑπολίποιτο ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ, προσέλθοι”. Eustath. adds, “ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἵνα μή τις ζῶν καὶ ἐπικρυπτόμενος διὰ τοὺς πολεμίους καταλειφθείη ἐκεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο μὲν Ὁμηρικόν”. But this interpretation is condemned by the words “οἳ θάνον ἐν πεδίῳ”. Nitzsch is careful to distinguish the “τρὶς ἀῦσαι” from ‘valedictio,’—the ‘verba novissima’ of Aen.6. 231; but it is difficult not to regard it as a similar religious act, though possibly less formal. The interpretation of Schol. H. suits the passage well, “τῶν ἀπολομένων ἐν ξένῃ γῇ τὰς ψυχὰς εὐχαῖς τισὶν ἐπεκαλοῦντο ἀποπλέοντες οἱ φίλοι εἰς τὴν ἐκείνων πατρίδα, καὶ ἐδόκουν κατάγειν αὐτοὺς πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους”.
