Verse 103 — W. Leaf's commentary on Homer's Iliad 1 0

ἀμφὶ μέλαιναι is the Alexandrine reading; most edd. give ἀμφιμέλαιναι. The phrase recurs in 17.83, 499, 573 (Od. 4.661 is probably imitated from this passage). It means literally his midriff black (with anger) was full of fury on both sides (above and below). This connection of ἀμφί with φρένες is common; e.g. 3.442 ἔρος φρένας ἀμφεκάλυψε, 6.355 πόνος φρένας ἀμφιβέβηκε, and other instances in H. G. § 181; φρένας ἀμφιγεγηθώς Hym. Apoll. 273. For the epithet μέλαιναι, as expressing deep emotion, cf. Aisch. Pers. 113 ταῦτά μοι μελαγχίτων φρὴν ἀμύσσεται φόβωι, Aisch. Cho. 413 σπλάγχνα δέ μοι κελαινοῦται, Hes. Theog.1199 κραδίην ἐπάταξε μέλαιναν, as well as the Homeric κραδίη πόρφυρε. This (Autenrieth's) explanation seems much superior to the ordinary interpretation of ἀμφιμέλαιναι as ‘lying in the midmost darkness of the body,’ which is hardly Homeric either in thought or expression; but the com pound may be explained as proleptic, ‘so as to become darkened all about’ (with anger). Although in 17.499, 573, anger is not in question, yet both refer to moments of strong emotion. The metaphor seems to come from the surface of water darkened by a breeze blowing over it; cf. 24.79, and especially 14.16 ὡς ὅτε πορφύρῃ πέλαγος .. ὧς ὁ γέρων ὥρμαινε. So καλχαίνειν in Soph. Ant. 20, where see Jebb's note.