Ruling

The genitive is used with verbs signifying to rule, command, lead.

θεῖον τὸ ἐθελόντων ἄρχειν it is divine to rule over willing subjects X. O. 21.12, τῆς θαλάττης ἐκράτει he was master of the sea P. Menex. 239e, Ἔρως τῶν θεῶν βασιλεύει Love is king of the gods P. S. 195c, ἡγεῖτο τῆς ἐξόδου he led the expedition T. 2.10, στρατηγεῖν τῶν ξένων to be general of the mercenaries X. A. 2. 6. 28. So with τυραννεῖν be absolute master of, ἀνἀσσειν be lord of (poet.), ἡγεμονεύειν be commander of. This genitive is connected with that of 1402.

With verbs signifying to surpass, be inferior to, the genitive denotes that with which anything is compared.

τῑμαῖς τούτων ἐπλεονεκτεῖτε you had the advantage over them in honours X. A. 3.1.37, ἡττῶντο τοῦ ὕδατος they were overpowered by the water X. H. 5.2.5, ὑστερεῖν τῶν ἔργων to be too late for operations D. 4.38, ἡμῶν λειφθέντες inferior to us X. A. 7.7.31. So with πρεσβεύειν hold the first place, ἀριστεύειν be best (poet.), μειοῦσθαι fall short of, μειονεκτεῖν be worse off, ἐλαττοῦσθαι be at a disadvantage. νικᾶσθαί τινος is chiefly poetic. ἡττᾶσθαι often takes ὑπό. Akin to this genitive is that with verbs of ruling (1370), which are often derived from a substantive signifying ruler.

Several verbs of ruling take the accusative when they mean to conquer, overcome (so κρατεῖν), or when they express the domain over which the rule extends; as τὴν Πελοπόννησον πειρᾶσθε μὴ ἐλᾱ́σσω ἐξηγεῖσθαι try not to lessen your dominion over the Peloponnese T. 1.71. ἡγεῖσθαί τινι means to be a guide to any one, show any one the way. Cp. 1537.

Ruling (1370).—ταύτης κῡ́ριος τῆς χώρᾱς master of this country D. 3.16, ἀκρατὴς ὀργῆς unrestrained in passion T. 3.84. So with ἐγκρατής master of, αὐτοκράτωρ complete master of, ἀκράτωρ intemperate in.

Verbs of ruling often take the dative, especially in Homer: Μυρμιδόνεσσιν ἄνασσε Α 180, Γιγάντεσσιν βασίλευεν η 59, ἦρχε δ᾽ ἄρα σφιν Ἀγαμέμνων Ξ 134. Rarely in prose: ἡγεῖσθαί τινι to serve as guide (leader) to some one, ἐπιστατεῖν τινι to be set over one; ἄρχειν τινί means only = to be archon (Πῡθοδώρου ἄρχοντος Ἀθηναίοις T. 2.2). Cp. 1371.

a. Only when stress is not laid on the idea of supremacy is the dative, instead of the genitive (1370), used with verbs of ruling.

It is not clear whether the dative with verbs of ruling is a dative proper (for), a locative (among; cp. ἐν Φαίηξιν ἄνασσε η 62), or an instrumental (by). ἄρχειν, ἡγεῖσθαι may take the dative proper, ἀνάσσειν, βασιλεύειν, κρατεῖν may take the locative dative.