Prepositions

Cover
Introduction
Main Index
Glossary
Prepositions
Further Study

Main uses of prepositions in prose

1 Prepositions with one case only

(a) with accusative

ἀνά

of place: ἀνὰ ποταμόν up river
ἀνὰ τὴν ̔Ελλάδα throughout Greece

of time: ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν ἡμέραν throughout the whole day

distributively ἀνὰ ἑκατὸν ἄνδρας in groups of 100 men
In compounds: up (ἀνίσταμαι stand up); back (ἀναχωρέω go back, retreat); again (ἀναλαμβάνω take (up) again).

εἰς (ἐς)

of place: εἰς τὴν ʼΑττικήν into Attica

of time: εἰς ἑσπέραν towards evening
εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον for all time

measure and limit εἰς τριακοσίους up to 300
purpose χρήσιμος εἰς ἅπαν ἔργον useful for every task
reference εὐδόκιμος εἰς σοφίαν famous for wisdom
In compounds: in, into (εἰσέρχομαι go in).

ὡς: (only of persons) ὡς Περδίκκαν to Perdiccas

(b) with genitive

ἀντί

: εἰρήνη ἀντὶ πολέμου peace instead of war

In compounds: instead, in return (ἀντιδίδωμι give in return); against, in opposition (ἀνθίσταμαι stand against, oppose).

ἀπό

of place: ἀπὸ πόλέως ἑκάστης from each city

of time: ἀπὸ τῶν Μηδικῶν from the time of the Persian [Wars]

cause: ἀπὸ τούτου ἐτιμήθη he was honoured for this

In compounds: from, away, off (ἀπέρχομαι go away); in return, back (ἀποδίδωμι give back what is due).

ἐκ

of place: ἐξ ʼΙταλίας from Italy

of time: ἐκ τούτου after this

origin: ἐκ πατρὸς εὐγενοῦς (sprung) from a noble father

In compounds: from, out, away (ἐξελαύνω drive out and away); thoroughly (ἐκμανθάνω learn thoroughly, by heart).

πρό

of place: πρὸ τῶν πυλῶν in front of the gates

of time: πρὸ τῶν Τρωικῶν before the Trojan [war]

preference: πρὸ τούτων θάνατον ἑλέσθαι to choose death rather than this

In compounds: before, forward (προτίθημι set before, set out); in defence of (προμάχομαι fight in defence of); forth (προφέρω bring forth); publicly (προαγορεύω proclaim publicly); in preference (προαιρεῖσθαι choose in preference); beforehand (προαισθάνομαι perceive beforehand).

ἐν

of place: ἐν οὐρανῷ in heaven
ἐν ὑμῖν δημηγορεῖν to make a speech among (or before) you

of time: ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ ἐσβολῇ in the former invasion
ἐν ἔτεσι πεντήκοντα within fifty years

In compounds: in, at, on (ἐμπίπτω fall in/on; ἐγγελάω laugh at).

σύν (ξύν)

: σὺν τοῖς θεοῖς with the help of the gods
σὺν κραυγῇ with a shout

(Attic prose normally uses μετά + genitive)
In compounds: with, together (συμπορεύομαι march in company with); altogether, completely (συμπληρόω fill up).

2 Prepositions with accusative or genitive

διά

(a) with accusative

of cause: διὰ φόβον on account of fear
διὰ αἰσχύνην because of (or through) shame

(b) with genitive

of place: διὰ τῆς πόλεως through the city

of time: διὰ παντὸς τοῦ πολέμου throughout all the war

of intervals: διὰ τρίτου ἔτους every third year

of means: διʼ ἑρμηνέως by means of an interpreter

In compounds: through, across (διαβαίνω cross); apart, thoroughly (διαλύω dissolve, destroy; διαπράττω complete); severally (διαδίδωμι distribute).

κατά

(a) with accusative

of place: κατὰ ποταμόν down river
κατὰ τὴν ἀγοράν throughout the market-place
κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν by land and sea

of time: κατʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον about that time
οἱ καθʼ ἡμᾶς our contemporaries

of manner: κατὰ τοὺς νόμους according to the laws
κατὰ Πίνδαρον according to Pindar

distributively: κατὰ τρεῖς by threes
καθʼ ἡμέραν day by day

(b) with genitive

of place: ἥλαντο κατὰ τῆς πέτρας they leapt down from the cliff
μύρον κατὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς καταχεῖν to pour perfume over one's head

against: καθʼ αὐτοῦ μηνύειν to give information against oneself

In compounds: downwards, down (καταπίπτω fall down); back (κατέρχομαι return from exile); against (καταγιγνώσκω condemn); completely (κατεσθίω eat up).

μετά

(a) with accusative

of time: μετὰ τὴν μάχην after the battle

of succession: ὁ μέγιστος ποταμὸς μετὰ τὸν ῞Ιστρον the greatest river after the Danube

(b) with genitive

: μεθʼ ἡμῶν πορεύεσθαι to travel along with us
μετὰ τῶν ἀδικουμένων μάχεσθαι to fight on the side of those who are wronged

In compounds: among, with (of sharing) (μεταδίδωμι give a share of); after, in quest of (μεταπέμπομαι send for); denoting change (μετανοέω change one's mind).

ὑπέρ

(a) with accusative

of place: ὑπὲρ τὰ ὄρη οἰκεῖν to live beyond the mountains

of measure: ὑπὲρ δύναμιν beyond one's power

(b) with genitive

of place: ὑπὲρ τῆς γῆς above the earth

on behalf of: ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος ἀποθανεῖν to die for one's country

In compounds: over, above (ὑπερβαίνω step over, cross); in defence of (ὑπερμαχέω (poetical) fight for); exceedingly (ὑπερφρονέω be overproud).

3 Prepositions with accusative, genitive or dative

ἐπί

(a) with accusative

of place: ἐφʼ ἵππον ἀναβαίνειν to mount one's horse

hostility: ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους against the enemy

(b) with genitive

of place: οὔτʼ ἐπὶ γῆς οὔτʼ ὑπὸ γῆς neither upon the earth nor under the earth
ἐπὶ ʼΑθηνῶν πορεύεσθαι to travel in the direction of Athens

of time: ἐπὶ τῶν προγόνων in the time of our ancestors

(c) with dative

of place: αἱ ἐπὶ τῇ θαλάττῃ πόλεις the cities on the sea coast
ἐπὶ τοῖς ὄρεσι on the mountains

purpose: ἐπὶ δουλείᾳ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ ἥκετε you have come to enslave us (lit. with a view to our slavery)

condition: ἐπὶ τούτοις on these conditions

In compounds: upon (ἔπειμι be upon); over (ἐπιτρέχω overrun); at (ἐπιχαίρω rejoice at/over); toward (ἐπιστέλλω send to); in addition (ἐπιδίδωμι give in addition); against (ἐπιβουλεύω plot against); after (ἐπιγίγνομαι come after).

παρά

(a) with accusative

of place: ἥκω παρὰ σέ I have come to you
παρὰ τὴν γῆν ἔπλει he sailed along the coast

comparison: ἐξετάζειν παρʼ ἄλληλα to compare with one another

contrary to: παρὰ τοὺς νόμους contrary to the laws

(b) with genitive

of place: παρὰ βασιλέως ἥκειν to have come from the King

source: παρὰ Σωκράτους μανθάνειν to learn from Socrates

(c) with dative

of place: παρὰ τοῖς ʼΑθηναίοις amongst the Athenians
παρʼ ἐμοὶ δειπνεῖν to dine at my house (cf. French chez moi)
παρὰ τοῖς δικασταῖς before the judges

In compounds: alongside, beside (παρέρχομαι go alongside); beyond, past (παρελαύνω drive past); aside, beyond i.e. amiss (παραβαίνω transgress).

περί

(a) with accusative

of place: περὶ Πελοπόννησον around the Peloponnese
οἱ περὶ ̔Ηράκλειτον the followers of Heraclitus

of time: περὶ πρῶτον ὕπνον about the time of the first sleep

number: περὶ ἑξακοσίους about 600

reference: οἱ περὶ τοὺς γάμους νόμοι the laws about marriage

(b) with genitive

reference: περὶ πολέμου βουλεύεσθαι to deliberate about war
περὶ τούτων λέγειν to speak about these things

(c) with dative

of place: περὶ τῇ χειρὶ δακτύλιον φέρειν to wear a ring on the hand
στρεπτοὶ περὶ τοῖς τραχήλοις collars about their necks

In compounds: around, about (περιβάλλω throw around); beyond, over (περιεργάζομαι waste one's labour; περιοράω overlook, allow); (remaining) over (περιγίγνομαι remain over, excel).

πρός

(a) with accusative

of place: πρὸς τὸν λόφον towards the hill

of time: πρὸς ἔαρ towards spring

of reference: πρὸς χάριν λέγειν to speak with a view to pleasing

(b) with genitive

in appeals: πρὸς θεῶν by (or in the name of) the gods
characteristic: οὐκ ἦν πρὸς τοῦ Κύρου τρόπου it was not like Cyrus's way

(c) with dative

of place: πρὸς τῇ γῇ ναυμαχεῖν to fight a sea-battle near the land
πρὸς Αἰγίνῃ off (the island of) Aegina
addition: πρὸς τούτοις in addition to this

In compounds: towards (προσέρχομαι approach); in addition to (προσδίδωμι give in addition); against (προσπίπτω fall against).

ὑπό

(a) with accusative

of place: ὑπὸ Σπάρτωλον ἐλθόντες having come up to (i.e. under the walls of) Spartolus
of time: ὑπὸ τὸν σεισμόν at the time of the earthquake

(b) with genitive

of place: ὑπὸ γῆς ἐλθεῖν to come from under the earth
agent: ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων ἀποθανεῖν to be killed by the enemy
cause: ὑπὸ λιμοῦ ἀπώλετο he perished of hunger

(c) with dative

of place: ἡ κώμη ὑπὸ τῷ ὄρει the village under (or at the foot of) the mountain
subjection: ὑπὸ Λακεδαιμονίοις εἶναι to be subject to the Lacedaemonians

In compounds: under (ὑποτίθημι place under); behind (ὑπολείπω leave behind); secretly (ὑποπέμπω send secretly); gradually (ὑποκαταβαίνω descend by degrees).

Main Index