§ 60 — A. R. Benner Selections from Homer's Iliad 0

Digamma. The letter digamma, Ϝ—, which belonged originally to most—if not all—Greek alphabets, means literally double gamma, from its form Ϝ. Its value was that of the English w ; when vocalized, it became υ. When epic poetry began to flourish, it was a living sound ; but in the progress of the ages during which the Iliad and Odyssey were transmitted, it seems to have diappeared from the Ionic dialect ; and when at last these poems were written down, no sign was used to indicate a sound with which the scribes themselves were possibly unacquainted. Nevertheless traces of the letter survive in lengthened syllables and in instances of hiatus which otherwise would be irregular ; compare §§ 27, 37, 38.