κέρδη: the plur. more often refers to money (1061); but cp. El. 767 “ἢ δεινὰ μέν, κέρδη δέ.” τὰ γὰρ ἐν ποσὶ κακὰ κράτιστά (“ἐστι”) βράχιστα (“ὄντα”): instead of, “κράτιστόν ἐστι τὰ...κακὰ βράχιστα εἶναι”. For the personal constr., cp. O. T. 1368 “κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτ᾽ ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός”, and n. ib. 1061. For the omission of “ὄντα”, cp. the oracle “μὴ κίνει Καμάριναν: ἀκίνητος γὰρ ἀμείνων” (sc. “οὖσα”), ap. Stephanus Byz. s. v. “Καμἁρινα.” τἀν ποσίν, before our feet, claiming immediate attention. Cp. Eur. Alc. 739 “ἡμεῖς δέ, τοὐν ποσὶν γὰρ οἰστέον κακόν, ι στείχωμεν, ὡς ἂν ἐν πυρᾷ θῶμεν νεκρόν”. So Pind. P. 8. 32“τὸ δ᾽ ἐν ποσί μοι τράχον”, my present theme.
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