Limit of motion

Dative of Place.—In poetry the dative without a preposition is used to denote place.

a. Where a person or thing is: στᾱ̀ς μέσῳ ἕρκεϊ taking his stand in the middle of the court Ω 306, γῇ ἔκειτο she lay on the ground S. O. T. 1266, ναίειν ὄρεσιν to dwell among the mountains O. T. 1451. Often of the parts of the body (Hom. θῡμῷ, καρδίῃ, etc.). With persons (generally in the plural): ἀριπρεπὴς Τρώεσσιν conspicuous among the Trojans Z 477. τοῖσι δ᾽ ἀνέστη A 68 may be rose up among them or a dative proper (for them).

b. Place whither (limit of motion): πεδίῳ πέσε fell on the ground E 82, κολεῷ ἄορ θέο put thy sword into its sheath κ 333.

After verbs of motion the dative, as distinguished from the locative, denotes direction towards and is used of persons (1485), and is a form of the dative of interest.

Many verbs capable of taking the locative dative in poetry, require, in prose, the aid of a preposition in composition. The limit of motion is usually (1589) expressed by the accusative with a preposition (e.g. εἰς, πρός).

The limit of motion is also expressed by -δε (ἄστυδε Hom., in prose, Ἀθήναζε = Ἀθήνᾱς + δε; χαμᾶζε or χαμάζε = χαμᾱς + δε, cp. χαμα-ί; οἴκαδε) and, regularly in prose, by εἰς, ἐπί, παρά, πρός, ὡς (with a person) with the accusative.

In poetry after verbs of motion the accusative may be used without a preposition to express the goal.

ἄστυ Καδμεῖον μολών having come to the city of Cadmus S. O. T. 35, πέμψομέν νιν Ἑλλάδα we will convey her to Greece E. Tro. 883. Of persons in Hom. (especially with ἱκνέομαι, ἵκω, ἱκᾱ́νω = reach) and in the lyric parts of the drama: μνηστῆρας ἀφῑ́κετο came unto the suitors α 332. Cp. “arrived our coast”: Shakesp. In Hdt. 9.26 φαμὲν ἡμέας ἱκνέεσθαι means we declare that it befits us.