The text presents a significant crux at the end of the first hemistich: τῶν προτέρων†. The critical symbol (†) indicates that the transmitted text is corrupt or incomplete at this point. The phrase 'of the former' lacks a governing verb or clear syntactic connection to the following address to the Muse, creating a logical gap. Scholars have proposed various conjectures to fill the lacuna, ranging from emending the text to restoring a lost verb of comparison or attribution, as the current reading leaves the thought hanging and syntactically disjointed from the imperative 'ἔχων' (having) that follows.