LESSON XXIV: Prepositions
Case Usage With Prepositions
226. Prepositions are used with the genitive, dative, and accusative. Some prepositions are used with only one of these cases, others with two, others with all three.
227. The prepositions ἀντί, instead of, ἀπό, off from, from, Latin ab, ἐξ, out of, from Latin ex, and πρό, before, Latin prô, take only the genitive. ἐξ signifies from within, out of, ἀπό, off from, away from.
228. ἐν, in, Latin in with the ablative, and σύν, with, Latin cum, take only the dative.
229. ἀνά, up, and εἰς, into,Latin in with the accusative, take only the accusative.
230. ἀμφί, about, διά, through, on account of, κατά, down, μετά, in company with, after, and ὑπέρ, over, Latin super, take the genitive and accusative.
231. ἐπί, on, upon, παρά, alongside of, beside, περί, round about, πρός, over against, at, to, and ὑπό, under, Latin sub, take the genitive, dative, and accusative.
232. In general, the genitive with prepositions denotes that from which something proceeds, the dative that inor by which something is or takes place, the accusative that towards, over, along, or upon which motion occurs, as:
- ἄγγελός ἐστι παρὰ Κύρου, he is a messenger from (from beside) Cyrus;
- παρὰ τῷ Κύρῳ ἦσαν οἱ στρατηγοί, the generals were with (beside) Cyrus;
- ἄγουσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον παρὰ Κῦρον, they bring the fellow to Cyrus.
233. The chief relations expressed by the prepositions are place and time; but they express also cause, origin, means, agency, condition, purpose, and other important ideas. The original force of the preposition shades off into many meanings.
234. Prepositions are used in forming compound verbs (93).
a. In determining the force of a preposition in any sentence, the pupil should study the connection of the preposition with the other words in the sentence, or with the verb to which it is prefixed, keeping the original meaning of the preposition in mind. The general vocabulary must be constantly consulted.
Grammar Notes
847. The genitive follows verbs signifying to rule, lead, or direct. Thus, τῶν ὁπλῑτῶν ἄρχει, he commands the hoplites, Κλέαρχος τοῦ δεξιοῦ κέρως ἡγεῖται, Clearchus leads the right wing.
854. The genitive may denote the time within which anything takes place. Thus, ὡρμᾶτο τῆς νυκτός, he set out in the night,ταῦτα τῆς ἡμέρᾱς ἐγένετο, this happened during the day.
235. VOCABULARY.
| ἀλλά | conj., but, yet, stronger than δέ. |
| ἀμφί | prep.: with gen., about, concerning; with acc., about, round. |
| ἀνά | prep. with acc., up, up along, up to, with numerals, at the rate of. |
| ἄρχω, ἄρξω, ἦρξα, ἦργμαι, ἤρχθην (cf. ἀρχή) | be first, rule, reign over, command; mid., begin. |
| αὖ | adv., again, in turn, moreover. |
| εἶτα | adv., then, thereupon. |
| εὐθύς | adv., at once, immediately. |
| περί | prep.: with gen., about, concerning; with dat., round, about; with acc., about, all round, round. |
| πρό | prep. with gen., before, in front of, for. |
| πρῶτος, η, ον (cf. πρό) | first, foremost;πρῶτον as adv., first. |
| ὑπέρ | prep.: with gen., over, above, in behalf of; with acc., over, above. |
236. READ ALOUD AND TRANSLATE:
| 1. σύμμαχοι ἀγαθοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀμφὶ Κῦρον1. |
| 2. οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι ἐθήρευον τὰ θηρία ἀπὸ ἵππων. |
| 3. οἱ Κύρου φίλοι ἐστρατευμένοι εἰσὶν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. |
| 4. ταῦτα περὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἄγγελοι παρὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἔλεξαν Κύρῳ πρὸ τῆς μάχης. |
| 5. μετὰ τοῦτο πορεύονται ἑπτὰ σταθμοὺς ἀνὰ πέντε παρασάγγᾱς τῆς ἡμέρᾱς2 παρὰ τὸν ποταμόν. |
| 6. Κῦρος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ, ἀλλ᾿ ἄξιός ἐστιν ἄρχειν ἀντ᾿ ἐκείνου. |
| 7. ἐκεῖνος δὲ τῶν ὁπλῑτῶν3 ἦρχεν· οὗτοι δ᾿ αὖ πρὸ αὐτοῦ Ἀρταξέρξου τεταγμένοι ἦσαν. |
| 8. Κῦρος ἐκέλευσε τὸν Κλέαρχον πρῶτον μὲν τάττειν τοὺς στρατιώτᾱς, εἶτα δὲ ἄγειν διὰ τοῦ πεδίου. |
| 9. ὁ δὲ σατράπης πορεύεται εὐθὺς παρὰ τὸν Ἀρταξέρξην, καὶ στρατιώτᾱς ἔχει ἀμφὶ τοὺς τριᾱκοσίους. |
NOTES.—1those about Cyrus, i.e. his attendants.—2 each day, genitive of the time within which (854). —3 The genitive follows ἄρχω (847).—4I.e. those about Cyrus.—5 Dative without a preposition.
238. The Greeks inspire the Barbarians with Fear.
ἐξετάζει οὖν ὁ Κῦρος πρῶτον μὲν τοὺς βαρβάρους·
οἱ δὲ παρελαύνουσι τεταγμένοι κατὰ ἴλᾱς· εἶτα δὲ τοὺς
ἄλλους στρατιώτᾱς. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἔπεμψεν ἄγγελον
παρὰ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς τοὺς Ἑλληνικοὺς καὶ ἐκέλευσε
NOTES.—2. οἱ δέ: and they, the article being used as a demonstrative. —τεταγμένοι: having been drawn up, perfect passive participle.—κατὰ ἴλᾱς: by companies (ἴλη).—6. ἐσάλπιγξεν: aorist of σαλπίζω. For a picture of a trumpeter (σαλπικτής), see No. 55.—8. παρ-εῖχε: caused (παρ-έχω).
