ABSTRACT
There is so far no agreement on two points in this normative passage: about where the first sentence ends, that is what sort of punctuation, if any, should be preferred after finge, and about the status of honoratum. To mention the range of options among a handful of influential editions still widely used (with or without accompanying commentaries). A flaw in the analysis results from severing the two issues at hand and concentrating on finding the right substitute for honoratum as the one and only panacea. A stylistic and grammatical analysis of the passage should be part of any attempt at a solution: Achilles is clearly the main example by covering three (Garrod & Co.), or almost three lines (the majority) followed in rapid succession by five further parallel examples (Medea, Ino, Ixion, Io, Orestes), all of which are well-known scenic characters. Each has a particular personality that a dramatist should abide by and not deviate from at will.
