Topic · from the English index · as printed
Prepositions
accent, when elided
§174ACCENT AS AFFECTED BY CONTRACTION, CRASIS, AND ELISIONElision.—In elision, oxytone prepositions and conjunctions lose their accent: παρ᾽ (for παρὰ) ἐμοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ (for ἀλλὰ) ἐγώ. In other oxytones the accent is thrown back to the penult: …
anastrophe in
§175ANASTROPHEAnastrophe (ἀναστροφή turning-back) occurs in the case of oxytone prepositions of two syllables, which throw the accent back on the first syllable. a. When the preposition follows …
proclitics
§179PROCLITICSTen monosyllabic words have no accent and are closely connected with the following word. They are called proclitics (from προκλῑ́νω lean forward). They are: The forms of the articl…
§180PROCLITICSA proclitic sometimes takes an accent, thus: a. οὐ at the end of a sentence: φῄς, ἢ οὔ; do you say so or not? πῶς γὰρ οὔ; for why not? Also οὔ no standing alone. b. ἐξ, ἐν, and εἰς…
comparative and superlative derived from
§320COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVESDefectives.—Some comparatives and superlatives are derived from prepositions or adverbs: (πρό before) πρότερος former πρῶτος first (ὑπέρ over, beyond) ὑπέρτερος (poetic) higher, ὑπ…
augment and reduplication in verbs compounded with
§§449–454POSITION OF AUGMENT AND REDUPLICATION IN COMPOUND VERBSIn verbs compounded with a preposition, augment and reduplication stand between the preposition and the verb. Thus, ὑπερβαίνω pass over, ὑπερέβαινον, ὑπερβέβηκα; εἰσβάλλω throw int…
in compounds
§870FIRST PART OF A COMPOUNDThe first part of a compound may be a noun-stem, a verbstem, a numeral, a preposition or adverb, or an inseparable prefix. a. The use of stems in composition is a survival of a per…
§884FIRST PART A PREPOSITION OR ADVERBA preposition or adverb is often the first part of a compound: εἴσ-οδος entrance, ἀπο-φεύγω flee from, εὐ-τυχής happy, ἀείμνηστος ever to be remembered. a. Except when the substant…
§896MEANING OF COMPOUNDSDeterminative Compounds.—In most determinative compounds the first part modifies or determines the second part: the modifier stands first, the principal word second. Thus by hand-w…
§1655PREPOSITIONSA preposition usually assumes the force of an adjective when compounded with substantives which do not change their forms on entering into composition, as σύνοδος a national meetin…
origin, and development of
§891LAST PART OF A COMPOUNDCompound Verbs.—Verbs can be compounded directly only by prefixing a preposition, as συμ-μάχομαι fight along with. a. A preposition (πρό-θεσις) derived its name from this use as a …
§§1636–1638PREPOSITIONSPrepositions define the relations of a substantival notion to the predicate. a. All prepositions seem to have been adverbs originally and mostly adverbs of place; as adverbs they a…
§1646 aPREPOSITIONS(III) Prepositions unite with verbs (less frequently with nouns and other prepositions) to form compounds. Cp. 886 ff. a. From this use as a prefix the name ‘preposition’ (πρόθεσις…
as adverbs (preposition-adverbs)
§891LAST PART OF A COMPOUNDCompound Verbs.—Verbs can be compounded directly only by prefixing a preposition, as συμ-μάχομαι fight along with. a. A preposition (πρό-θεσις) derived its name from this use as a …
§1636 aPREPOSITIONSPrepositions define the relations of a substantival notion to the predicate. a. All prepositions seem to have been adverbs originally and mostly adverbs of place; as adverbs they a…
§§1638–1643PREPOSITIONSDevelopment of the Use of Prepositions.— a. Originally the preposition was a free adverb limiting the meaning of the verb but not directly connected with it: κατ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἕζετο down he…
construction with verbs compounded with
§§1382–1387GENITIVE WITH COMPOUND VERBSThe genitive depends on the meaning of a compound verb as a whole (1) if the simple verb takes the genitive without a preposition, as ὑπείκειν withdraw, παραλῡ́ειν release, παραχωρ…
function
§1637PREPOSITIONSThe prepositions express primarily notions of space, then notions of time, and finally are used in figurative relations to denote cause, agency, means, manner, etc. Attic often dif…
three uses
§§1639–1646PREPOSITIONS(I) Prepositions appear as adverbs defining the action of verbs.
improper
§1647PREPOSITIONSImproper prepositions (1699) are adverbs used like prepositions, but incapable of forming compounds. The case (usually the genitive) following an improper preposition depends on th…
§1649 aPREPOSITIONSTwo or more prepositions may be used with one verb, either sepa rately, as adverbs, or in composition with the verb. Thus, στῆ δὲ παρέξ (or παρ᾽ ἐξ) he stood forth beside him Λ 486…
§§1699–1702IMPROPER PREPOSITIONSImproper prepositions do not form compounds (1647).
compounded, to complete action of verbal idea
§1648PREPOSITIONSThe addition of a preposition (especially διά, κατά, σύν) to a verbal form may mark the completion of the action of the verbal idea (perfective action). The local force of the prep…
§1680ORDINARY USES OF THE PREPOSITIONSPrepositions in composition (chiefly ἀπό, διά, κατά, σύν) may give an idea of completion to the action denoted by the verb (1648). a. For the usage after compound verbs see 1382 ff…
compound
§1649PREPOSITIONSTwo or more prepositions may be used with one verb, either sepa rately, as adverbs, or in composition with the verb. Thus, στῆ δὲ παρέξ (or παρ᾽ ἐξ) he stood forth beside him Λ 486…
tmesis
§§1650–1653PREPOSITIONSTmesis (τμῆσις cutting) denotes the separation of a preposition from its verb, and is a term of late origin, properly descriptive only of the post-epic language, in which prepositi…
prefixed, repeated
§1654PREPOSITIONSThe addition of a preposition to a verb may have no effect on the construction, as in ἐκβῆναι τῆς νεώς, whereas βῆναι τῆς νεώς originally, and still in poetry, can mean go from-the…
connecting nouns, without verb
§1657PREPOSITIONSA noun joined by a preposition to its case without the help of a verb has a verbal meaning: ἀπὸ πᾱσῶν ἀρχῶν ἐλευθερίᾱ freedom from all rule P. L. 698a (cp. ἐλευθεροῦν ἀπό τινος).
meaning of genitive, dative, and accusative, with
§1658PREPOSITIONSIn general, when depending on prepositions expressing relations of place, the accusative denotes the place (or person) toward which or the place over which, along which motion take…
verbs of motion with dative and
§1659 aPREPOSITIONSConstructio Praegnans.—a. A verb of motion is often used with a preposition with the dative to anticipate the rest that follows the action of the verb: ἐν τῷ ποταμῷ ἔπεσον they fel…
verbs of rest with accusative and
§1659 bPREPOSITIONSConstructio Praegnans.—a. A verb of motion is often used with a preposition with the dative to anticipate the rest that follows the action of the verb: ἐν τῷ ποταμῷ ἔπεσον they fel…
stress laid on starting-point or goal
§1660PREPOSITIONSStress is often laid on (a) the starting-point or (b) the goal of an action. a. καταδήσᾱς ἀπὸ δένδρων τοὺς ἵππους tying his horses to (from) trees X. H. 4.4.10. By anticipation of …
position
§§1663–1665PREPOSITIONSPosition.—The preposition usually precedes its noun. It may be separated from it a. By particles (μέν, δέ, γέ, τέ, γάρ, οὖν) and by οἶμαι I think: ἐν οὖν τῇ πόλει P. R. 456d, εἰς δ…
variation
§1666VARIATION OF PREPOSITIONSThe preposition in the second of two closely connected clauses may be different from that used in the first clause either (1) when the relation is essentially the same or (2) when …
repetition and omission
§§1667–1673REPETITION AND OMISSION OF PREPOSITIONS, ETC.a. For the sake of emphasis or to mark opposition and difference, a preposition is repeated with each noun dependent on the preposition: κατά τε πόλεμον καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἄλλην δίαιταν …
§2519THE ANTECEDENT OF RELATIVE CLAUSESPreposition not repeated.—A preposition governing a relative pronoun is usually omitted if it stands in the same case as the preceding noun or pronoun before which the preposition …
of different meaning with the same noun
§1669REPETITION AND OMISSION OF PREPOSITIONS, ETC.When prepositions of different meaning are used with the same noun, the noun is repeated; thus neither upon (the earth) nor under the earth is οὔτ᾽ ἐπὶ γῆς οὔθ᾽ ὑπὸ γῆς P. Menex. 2…
with case, as subject or object or protasis
§1674REPETITION AND OMISSION OF PREPOSITIONS, ETC.A preposition with its case may have the function of the subject, or the object, of a sentence; or it may represent the protasis of a condition. Subject: ἔφυγον περὶ ὀκτακοσίους ab…
§928 aTHE SUBJECTThe subject nominative may be replaced a. By a prepositional phrase in the accusative: ἐνθῡμεῖσθε καθ᾽ ἑκάστους τε καὶ ξύμπαντες consider individually and all together T. 7.64. b. …
use, in Attic prose
§1675ORDINARY USES OF THE PREPOSITIONSUse of the Prepositions in Attic Prose.— With the accusative only: ἀνά, εἰς. With the dative only: ἐν, σύν. With the genitive only: ἀντί, ἀπό, ἐξ, πρό. With the accusative and geni…
ordinary differences in meaning
§1676ORDINARY USES OF THE PREPOSITIONSOrdinary Differences in Meaning.— GENITIVE ACCUSATIVE ἀμφί, περί concerning round about, near διά through owing to κατά against along, over, according to μετά with after ὑπέρ above…
parallel
§1677ORDINARY USES OF THE PREPOSITIONSCertain prepositions are parallel in many uses; e.g. ἀνά and κατά, ἀντί and πρό, ἀπό and ἐκ, ἀμφί and περί, ὑπέρ and περί, ἐπί and πρός, σύν and μετά.
use of the different
§§1681–1698ἀμφίἀμφί (cp. ἄμφω, ἀμφότερος, Lat. ambi-, amb-, am-) originally on both sides (either externally only, or inside and outside), hence about. Cp. the use of περί (1693) throughout. Chie…