οὔτε γὰρ...εἶχον. This obviously
implies, as Hug remarks, moral rather than physical impossibility—the
inexpedience of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Supply ἠφάνισαν with κεραυνώσαντες.
ἠφανίζετο. For the impf. without ἄν, cp. (with Stallb.) Rep. 450 D, Euthyd. 304 D; Ar. Nub. 1212.
μόγις...ἐννοήσας. Notice the comic
touch: the omniscient Zeus has to cudgel his brains over the business!
ὡς ἂν εἶεν. For this construction
after a present, cp. Xen. Cyrop. I. 2. 5 (Goodwin G. M.
T. § 349, cp. § 351).
ἀσθενέστεροι γενόμενοι. Although these
words are superfluous, a little legal verbosity may be excused in a comedian's Zeus.
This text is part of:
The Symposium of Plato. R. G. Bury. 1909. Cambridge. W. Heffer and Sons.
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