There remain to be considered Homer's other expressions for fate. εἵμαρται, ‘it has been apportioned’, and θέσϕατόν ἐστι, ‘it is ordained’, need not be discussed. What however of μοīρα and αἶσα? Their obvious meaning, and that which in other contexts they possess, is just ‘portion’. Of the personified powers thus named, as also of simple expressions such as ὣς γάρ οἱ μοĩρʾ ἐστι ϕίλους ἰδέειν (Od. v, 41), we need say little, since they, like εἵμαρται, reveal nothing as to the form under which the μοĩρα is conceived. If we exclude these, there are left several expressions hitherto unexplained. Helen says to Hector: ‘Sit; for you are wearied on account of my shameless self and of the ἃτη of Paris, on our account,

similarly Odysseus seeks to comfort Aias for his wrongs:

The expression is clearly spatial ‘placed upon’, yet commentators are content with a vague paraphrase ‘assigned to’ and make no attempt to explain the image. What however are Homer's other uses of ἐπι-τιθέναι with a personal object?

And under what form have we seen a man's portion, his fortunes, to be conceived?