374. The metrical considerations which lead us to recognise -ῑ in the dative singular might be urged, though with less force, in favor of an original -dἄ as the ending of the neuter plural. We have
ll. 5.745 (= 8.389) ἐς δʼ ὄχεα φλόγεα ποσὶ βήσετο
Il. 8.556 φαίνετʼ ἀριπρεπέα, ὅτε κτλ.
Il. 11.678 (Od. 14.100) τόσα πώεα οἰῶν (ν. l. μήλων)
Il 20.255 πόλλʼ ἐτεά τε καὶ οὐκί
Il. 21.352 τὰ περὶ καλὰ ῥέεθρα
Il. 23.240 ἀριφραδέα δὲ τέτυκται
Il. 24.7 ὅποσα τολύπευσε
Od. 9.109 ἄσπαρτα καὶ ἀνήροτα
Od. 10.353 πορφύρεα καθύπερθʼ
Od. 12.396 ὀπταλέα τε καὶ ὠμά
Od. 14.343 ῥωγαλέα, τὰ καὶ αὐτός
Od. 23.225 ἀριφραδέα κατέλεξας
In the majority of these instances, however, the final α is preceded by the vowel ε, from which it was originally separated by a spirant (ὄχε-σ-α, πορφύρε-ι̯-α).
Il. 1.45 ἀμφηρεφέα τε φαρέτρην
Il 5.576 Πυλαιμένεα ἑλέτην
Il. 5.827 Ἄρηᾱ τό γε
Il. 14.329 Περσῆᾱ πάντων
Od. 1.40 ἐκ γὰρ Ὀρέσταο τίσις
As two successive vowels are often found to interchange their quantity (βασιλῆα, βασιλέᾱ), so perhaps, even when the first vowel retains its metrical value, there may be a slight transference of quantity, sufficient to allow the final vowel, when reinforced by the ictus, to count as a long syllable. Cp. § 375.3.
The scanning ἔᾱ (in ll. 4.321 εἰ τότε κοῦρος ἔα νῦν κτλ.; Cp. Il. 5.887, Od. 14.352) may be explained by transference of quantity, from ἦα.