Abstract

This paper deals with a textual problem in the Io story of Bacchylides 19. My aim is to provide a supplement for line 19.29 that introduces a preliminary state to the way in which Argus has been overpowered by Hermes. The supplement I propose assumes a hapax attested, expanded form of ἐριούνιος for Hermes, εἰριούνιος, and puts forward an etymological explication of the epithet as ‘efficient in words’, ergo a ‘smooth talker’.