οὐδ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἔμελλεν / ἐλθὼν ἐκ νηῶν ἂψ Ἕκτορι μῦθον ἀποίσειν
Based on his experience with living singers composing in performance, Albert Lord notes that planning and a sense of the song as a whole is usual in oral poetry. Although there is pressure to compose rapidly, “In all these instances one sees also that the singer always has the end of the theme in his mind. He knows where he is going. As in the adding of one line to another, so in the adding of one element in a theme to another, the singer can stop and fondly dwell upon any single item without losing a sense of the whole. The style allows comfortably for digression or for enrichment. Once embarked upon a theme, the singer can proceed at his own pace” (Lord 1960/2000:92). The traditional nature of the story means that Dolon’s death is expected by the audience even as it is anticipated here. We also see this sort of planning in anticipation of a character’s impending death in daytime battle. We can compare, for just one example, the even longer-range planning evident in the death of Asios. Soon after Asios is introduced (Iliad 12.95–97) and begins his headstrong attack by chariot on the Achaean wall, the narrator similarly reports that Asios will not escape death or ever return to Troy because Idomeneus will kill him (Iliad 12.113–117; note the same introductory language, οὐδ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἔμελλε, Iliad 12.113). Idomeneus does indeed kill him, but not until Iliad 13.383–393. This type of planning is not literary, but rather based in tradition: both the singer and the audience know that Idomeneus will kill Asios, so announcing it early confirms that the traditional story will be followed. By understanding this oral traditional feature, we can assume that Dolon’s lack of return follows tradition as well.
Within the ambush theme, moreover, there is a particular emphasis on the need to return. A failure to return means not only that the mission is unsuccessful, but also that the family and comrades may not know what has happened to the spy or ambusher. We see this aspect of the theme in Nestor’s words about the need to come back safely (10.212) and Diomedes’ choice of Odysseus as his partner based on Odysseus’ ability to return home (10.246–247). But we also see it in compressed versions of the theme, such as Glaukos’ narration of the ambush of Bellerophon, in which the ambushers are said not to return home because Bellerophon killed them all (Iliad 6.189–190). In this case, just as Dolon begins his mission, we are alerted already that Dolon will not be successful. This anticipation of his failure and impending death adds to the pathos inherent in the description of his family (10.317). But it also adds to the success of the Achaeans on this night: they triumph in preventing Dolon from bringing information to Hektor as well as in killing Rhesos and his comrades and stealing the horses.