Allegorical comment on this phrase from Plato's Phaedrus. The first part is an explanation and etymology of δαῖς, by "to cut" (δαίω). It is an elliptic etymology: only μερίς "portion" is given, not as the real etymon, but as a synonym of the etymon. The etymology of δαίς by αίω "to divide", which is correct, was familiar to Greek scholars (see δαίς2 / δαίω2). Next θοίνη is explained as opposed to δαίς: whereas δαίς refers to individual shares, because of its etymology, θοίνη refers to the shared and common enjoyment of the good. The etymology is not presented explicitly as such but the comparison with δαίς makes it clear that it was intended as an etymology. The formal aspect is not commented upon, since this was obviously not Hermias' preoccupation. Presumably the etymology is derivational and implies only a pathos, change of /k/ into /th/. An alternative possibility would be that θοίνη is parsed as a compound of ἀθρόος and κοινός, ἀθρόος providing the initial /th/ (in the manner of the etymologies of the Cratylus)