[480] ἀνιόντα appears to be governed by “εἴποι” in the sense ‘say of him as he returns’; but this construction seems to be quite unique. The possible alternative is to translate ‘say to him’; though this is hardly sufficiently supported by the passages quoted, 12.60 (= 210, 13.725), 17.237, 334, 651, 20.375, Od. 23.91. In all of these “εἶπε” stands immediately with its object. We may, however, compare Od. 19.334 “πολλοί τέ μιν ἐσθλὸν ἔειπον”: from which we may explain the clause here ““πατρὸς .. ἀμείνων”” as a sort of object-clause expressing the content of the verb like “ἐσθλόν”. So we have “ἐὺ εἰπεῖν τινα”, to speak well of a person, Od. 1.302, and “πεπνυμένα βάζεις βασιλῆας,” 9.58 (see note). These lines cannot fail to recall the famous prayer in Soph. Aj. 550 —
“ὦ παῖ, γένοιο πατρὸς εὐτυχέστερος, τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλ᾽ ὅμοιος, καὶ γένοι᾽ ἂν οὐ κακός”
and its imitation by Virgil in Aen. xii. 435.
