ἐπικρύπτεσθαι, ἐπαινεῖν: although these verbs balance ἐπιδεικνύναι, κατηγορεῖν above, the former, ἐπικρύπτεσθαι, has for its obj. τὴν πονηρίαν, the latter, τοὺς γονέας ἢ τὴν πατρίδα.
παραμυθεῖσθαι: soothe. It depends, not upon ἀναγκἀζεσθαι, but upon ἡγεῖτο, hence προσαναγκάζοντας is added. Cf. ἐπαινέσαι below. In meaning, it is like alloqui (cf. Hor. Ep. 13. 18 deformis aegrimoniae dulcibus alloquiis). It also has the meanings encourage, console. Cf. Menex. 247 c πατέρας καὶ μητέρας ἀεὶ χρὴ παραμυθεῖσθαι ὡς ῥᾷστα φέρειν τὴν ξυμφοράν.
ἡγήσατο: some have taken this in the sense of think fit or needful (formerly with the mistaken idea that δεῖν was omitted), as Phil. 59 a εἴτε καὶ περὶ φύσεως ἡγεῖταί τις ζητεῖν. This, however, would require the pres. inf.; the aor. inf. after ἡγεῖσθαι and kindred verbs can denote only past time. Simonides therefore reflected on what he had already done. Yet the words of Pind. I. ii. 6 ἁ Μοῖσα γὰρ οὐ φιλοκερδής πω τότ᾽ ἦν οὐδ̓ ἐργάτις were generally understood as directed against Simonides for using his art to win money; this was his ἀνάγκη. Cf. Schneidewin Simon. p. xxiv. f.
