J. N. Madvig, Syntax of the Greek Language: Chapter IV, Dative

Chapter IV.

Dative.

The Dative in Greek denotes generally the relation of a person or thing to and in a state or action, in which however it is not the passive object, and indicates, first, that person or thing for which something has interest, and to which it refers; secondly, that which, as an appurtenance or circumstance, belongs to and forms part of the predicate. [1]

[1] The Greek dative, therefore, corresponds not only with the Latin dative, but also, to a great extent, with the Latin ablative.

Under the first of these heads the dative marks the person, or the thing conceived of as person, for which something takes place, or has the predicated quality: Σόλων Ἀθηναίοις νόμους ἔθηκεν. Αἱ βάλανοι τοῖς δεσπόταις ἀπόκεινται (Xen. An. 2, 3, 15; are reserved for the masters). Οὐ τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῇ μητρὶ μόνον γεγενήμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ πατρίδι (Dem. 18, 205). Ἀνάγκη μοι ἀπιέναι. Φθόνος μέγιστον κακὸν τοῖς ἔχουσιν αὐτόν (Isocr. Euag. 6). Μέθη φύλαξιν ἀπρεπέστατον (Pl. Rep. 8, 398). Σωκράτης ἄξιος θανάτου ἐστὶ τῇ πόλει (Xen. Mem. 1, 1, 1; has deserved death from the city, owes death as his deserts to the city). Οἷα ἕκαστα ἐμοὶ φαίνεται, τοιαῦτα καὶ ἔστιν ἐμοί (Pl. Theet. 152). Ἄφοβος τὰς εἰσφορὰς ἐμοὶ λογίζεται (Dem. 27, 46; debits the taxes to me as expenditure). (Dat. commodi et incommodi.)

Rem. 1. Sometimes the dative has directly the meaning in honour of, to the advantage of: στεφανοῦσθαι τῷ θεῷ (Xen. Ages. 2, 15), λαγχάνειν τοῦ κλήρου (to claim the inheritance) τῇ γυναικί (Isae. 3, 32, = ὑπὲρ τῆς γυναικός, in behalf of, for; ib. 30).

Rem. 2. Such a dative is sometimes, in speaking of something that one has, or needs, or must bring about, immediately attached to a substantive, to denote for whom it is had or wanted, etc.: Χρημάτων Ἀριστοφάνει προσέδει πρὸς τὸν μισθὸν τοῖς πελτασταῖς (Lys. 19, 22). Ἐσπάνιζον τροφῆς τοῖς πολλοῖς (Thuc. 4, 6). Πείσανδρος ἠρώτα ἕνα ἕκαστον, ἥντινα ἐλπίδα ἔχει σωτηρίας τῇ πόλει (Thuc. 8, 53).

a) The dative stands with transitive verbs, which either usually (like δίδωμι), or in certain phrases (e.g. πόλεμον ἀναιρεῖσθαι, to declare war), denote an action in reference to another person or thing besides the proper object, as object of reference (both with the active and with the passive), e.g. μισθὸν διδόναι (ὑπισχνεῖσθαι, τάττειν) τοῖς στρατιώταις, διανέμειν χρήματα τοῖς πολίταις, ἀσφάλειαν παρέχειν τοῖς φίλοις, ἐπιτρέπειν τὰ πράγματα τοῖς ἐμπειροτάτοις, χρήματα πολλοῖς ὀφείλειν; βοήθειαν πέμπειν τινί, λέγειν (διηγεῖσθαι, ἀγγέλλειν) τινὶ τὰ πεπραγμένα; ὀνειδίζειν τινὶ δειλίαν, διαλλάττειν τινά τινι (to reconcile a person with, to, some one), δίκην λαγχάνειν τινί (to commence a law-suit against a person), χεῖρας ἀνέχειν θεῷ. Βοήθεια ἐπέμφθη Βοιωτοῖς. Ἡ γεγενημένη μάχη τῷ βασιλεῖ ἀγγέλλεται.

b) Such a reference to something else besides the proper object is often denoted by the composition of the verb with one of the prepositions ἀντί, ἐν, ἐπί, περί, πρός, σύν, ὑπό. For example, ἀντιτάττειν τοὺς ἱππέας τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἐμβάλλειν τινὶ ἔρωτα, ἐμποιεῖν (ἐνεργάζεσθαι, ἐμφύειν) ἐπιθυμίαν τῇ ψυχῇ, ἐγχειρίζειν τινὶ τὰ πράγματα, (ἐντρέφειν, ἐντραφεὶς τῇ βασιλείᾳ), ἐνορᾶν κακόνοιάν τινά τινι, ἐπάγειν αἰτίαν ψευδῆ τινι, τέλος ἐπιθεῖναι πράγματι, ἐπιφέρειν ὅπλα ἀλλήλοις, ἐπιστέλλειν τινί τι, ἐπιτάττειν φόρον τοῖς συμμάχοις, περιάπτειν τῇ πόλει αἰσχύνην (τιμήν, ὄνειδος, δόξαν αἰσχράν), περιτιθέναι τινὶ στέφανον (ἀτιμίαν), περιβάλλεσθαι ταῖς πόλεσιν ἐρύματα, [1] προστιθέναι τι τῷ νόμῳ, προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν τῷ λόγῳ, προστάττειν τοῖς δούλοις ἔργα, προσφέρειν τῷ σώματι τροφήν, συνιστάναι τινὰ διδασκάλῳ, ὑποβάλλειν τινὶ λόγον, ὑποτάττεσθαί τινι. The reference, however, is denoted by a repetition of the preposition, whenever the conception of place or of a motion is prominent: Περιθεῖναι πιλίδια περὶ τὴν κεφαλήν (Pl. Rep. 3, 406). Τὸ ἐν Μιλήτῳ ἐνῳκοδομημένον φρούριον (Thuc. 8, 4). (In some cases the usage of the language somewhat varies: this must be learnt from the Lexicon.)

[1] But also περιβάλλεσθαι τὴν νῆσον τείχει, with a wall.

Rem. 1. Transitive compounds with παρά are fond of repeating the preposition. (Also παραβάλλειν τι πρός τι.) (Παραμιγνύναι τί τινι, to mix something with a thing; also simply μιγνύναι τι τινι.)

Rem. 2. An object of reference in the dative may also stand with verbs which govern the genitive, e.g. ἀμφισβητεῖν τινι τοῦ σίτου, ἀντιποιεῖσθαι τῷ βασιλεῖ τῆς ἀρχῆς, μεταδιδόναι τινὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν, μετέχειν τινὶ τῶν κακῶν, ξυλλαμβάνειν τινὶ τοῦ πόνου.

Rem. 3. With an inaccuracy, peculiar to themselves, some such verbs in the passive, instead of being predicated of the proper (accusative) object, take for their subject the object of reference, e.g. those which denote transferring and giving in charge. The proper object then remains in the accusative, as in the verbs which have a double accusative in the active (§ 25): Οἱ ἐπιτετραμμένοι τὴν φυλακήν (Thuc. 1, 126). Ἄλλο τι μεῖζον ἐπιταχθήσεσθε (Thuc. 1, 140, = ὑμῖν ἐπιταχθήσεται). So in the passive: ἀποτέμνεσθαι τὴν κεφαλήν, ἐκκαίεσθαι or ἐκκόπτεσθαι τὠφθαλμώ of the person to whom this is done. (Οἱ ἀποσεσηπότες τοὺς δακτύλους τῶν ποδῶν, Xen. An. 4, 5, 12, = ἐκεῖνοι, ὧν ἀποσεσήπασιν οἱ δάκτυλοι.)

a) The dative stands as object of reference with intransitive verbs which denote an action, disposition of mind, or situation in reference to a person or thing, but, in the view of the Greeks, do not imply a passive attitude on the part of the object, e.g. πείθεσθαι τοῖς ἄρχουσιν, πολεμεῖν Λακεδαιμονίοις, εὔχεσθαι τοῖς θεοῖς, ὁμιλεῖν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς, ἀπαντᾶν τοῖς ἀπιοῦσιν. Ἔοικας παιδί. So likewise in phrases which have the signification of such a verb, e.g. Ἀθηναίοις διὰ πολέμου ἰέναι, ὁμόσε χωρεῖν τινι.

Of such verbs the most important are: those which denote an unfavorable state of mind, blame, threatening, resistance, strife, together with those which denote obedience and compliance: ὀργίζομαι, θυμοῦμαι, χαλεπαίνω, ἀπεχθάνομαι, φθονῶ, λοιδοροῦμαι, [1] ἐπιτιμῶ, ἐπιπλήττω, ἐγκαλῶ, ἀπειλῶ, ἐναντιοῦμαι, πολεμῶ, παρατάττομαι, ἐρίζω, στασιάζω, ἀμφισβητῶ, πείθομαι, ἀπειθῶ, πειθαρχῶ, ὑπηρετῶ, ὑπουργῶ, δουλεύω, λατρεύω, εἴκω, ὑπείκω, ὑποχωρῶ, χαρίζομαι, συγγιγνώσκω; further, those which denote help and assistance, counsel, cheering, and confidence: βοηθῶ, ἀμύνω, ἐπικουρῶ, τιμωρῶ (poet. ἀρήγω), συμβουλεύω, παραινῶ, ὑποτίθεμαι, παρακελεύομαι, πιστεύω, ἀπιστῶ; and those which denote meeting, approaching, following, and communing or companionship: ἀπαντῶ, ἐντυγχάνω, πλησιάζω, [2] ἀκολουθῶ, ἕπομαι, ὁμιλῶ, κοινωνῶ; lastly, some which do not belong to the foregoing classes, viz. ἔοικα (am like), διαλέγομαι (converse with; ἐς λόγους ἔρχομαι), εὔχομαι, λυσιτελῶ, and the impersonals δοκεῖ, συμφέρει, πρέπει, προσήκει, μέλει. [3]

[1] λοιδορῶ in the active with the accusative.

[2] The poetical words πελάζομαι, ἐμπελάζομαι, προσπελάζομαι have also the genitive. Active: πελάζειν τινά τινι.

[3] Δεῖ μοι (τινός, I have need of, something is needful to me, Dat. commodi), poetically also δεῖ μέ (and χρή μέ) τινός. Δεῖ με, χρή με ποιεῖν (rarely δεῖ μοι ποιεῖν, I must do).

Rem. 1. As in some verbs the mode of viewing the relation wavers between the notion of a mere reference, and that of a transitive working upon the object, they occur both with the dative and with the accusative, especially ἀρέσκω, please, ἀπαρέσκω, displease (λυμαίνομαι, φιλοφρονοῦμαι, ἐνοχλῶ), sometimes with a somewhat altered meaning, thus μέμφομαι, blame, with the accusative, μέμφομαί τινί τι, cast up something to a person as a reproach. (Ὑπακούειν τινί and τινός.)

Rem. 2. In some of these verbs, the reference may also be expressed by a preposition, e.g. διαλέγεσθαι πρός τινα, πολεμεῖν, μάχεσθαι πρός τινα, ἕπεσθαι μετά τινος, σύν τινι, ἀκολουθεῖν μετά τινος.

Rem. 3. Some of these verbs may also have an object-accusative, either merely of a neuter pronoun or adjective, e.g. χαρίζομαι, or also of substantives, e.g. πιστεύω, entrust.

Rem. 4. Occasionally the passive of a verb of this sort also is (less accurately) predicated of an object of reference as its subject, e.g. Οἱ Κερκυραῖοι οὐκ εἰκότως πολεμοῦνται ὑπὸ Κορινθίων (Thuc. 1, 37, are warred upon). Ξύμπαντες οἱ τῆς Σικελίας ἔνοικοι ἐπιβουλευόμεθα (Thuc. 4, 61), especially in the participle or infinitive, for the sake of conciseness: Παλαμήδης διὰ σοφίαν φθονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως ἀπόλλυται (Xen. Mem. 4, 2, 33). Κρεῖττόν ἐστι πιστεύεσθαι ὑπὸ τῆς πατρίδος ἢ ἀπιστεῖσθαι (Xen. Symp. 4, 29). (In Thucydides, even verbs in which the construction with the dative rests on the composition (b): Αἱ εἴκοσι νῆες τῶν Πελοποννησίων, ἐφορμούμεναι ἴσῳ ἀριθμῷ ὑπὸ Ἀθηναίων, ἐπέκπλουν ἐποιήσαντο, 8, 20.)

b) The dative is often put in this manner with intransitive verbs, which by composition with one of the prepositions ἀντί, ἐν, ἐπί, παρά, περί, πρός, σύν, ὑπό, or with the particle ὁμοῦ, come to denote a reference to something else, especially in a figurative sense, e.g. ἀντέχειν (to hold out against), ἀντιβλέπειν τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἐμμένειν ταῖς συνθήκαις (τοῖς ὅρκοις, τοῖς δεδογμένοις), ἐπιέναι τοῖς ὁπλίταις, ἐπικεῖσθαι τοῖς φεύγουσιν, ἐφορμεῖν τῷ λιμένι, ἐφήδεσθαι, ἐπεγγελᾶν τινι (τοῖς κακοῖς τινος), ἐπιστρατεύειν (ἐπιστρατεύεσθαι) τοῖς Ἕλλησιν, παραμένειν τοῖς συμμάχοις, παρακαθῆσθαι Σωκράτει, περιπίπτειν συμφορᾷ (φυγῇ), περιτυγχάνειν κριτῇ ἀγνώμονι, προσοικεῖν ποταμοῖς καὶ θαλάσσῃ, προσήκειν τινί (to be related to a person), συνεῖναι, συζῆν τινι (συνεῖναι, συνέχεσθαι, συζεύγνυσθαι, συστῆναι κακοῖς, νόσῳ, πόνῳ), συνεργεῖν τινι, συνοικεῖν γυναικί (συγχαίρειν τοῖς εὐτυχοῦσιν), ὑποκεῖσθαι τῷ ἄρχοντι, ὁμολογεῖν, ὁμογνωμονεῖν, ὁμονοεῖν τινι. Πόλλ' ἔνεστι τῷ γήρᾳ κακά (Arist. Sph. 441). Ἔρως φιλοσοφίας ἐμπίπτει τοῖς ἀνδράσιν (Pl. Rep. 6, 499). Ἐπέρχεταί (ἔπεισί) μοι λέγειν. Τῇ βίᾳ πρόσεισιν ἔχθραι (Xen. Mem. 1, 2, 10). Τὰ ἔργα τοῖς λόγοις οὐ συμφωνεῖ. Ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὀνομάτων τούτων ὑπόκειταί τις ἴδιος οὐσία (Pl. Prot. 349).

When the literal signification, and, in general, the notion of space and motion, is prominent, the preposition is usually repeated: ἐμμένειν ἐν τῇ τάξει, ἐμπίπτειν εἰς φρέαρ, εἰς ἀνάγκην. Ἄλφιτ' οὐκ ἔνεστιν ἐν τῷ θυλάκῳ (Arist. Pl. 763). In this point, however, the individual verbs somewhat vary. [1]

[1] The compounds of ἧμαι and κεῖμαι, even in their literal signification, have, for the most part, the dative without prepositions; on the other hand, προσφέρεσθαι πρὸς τινα μετὰ πραότητος, to deal with, bear oneself towards, a person.

Rem. 1. The compounds of verbs of motion with παρά, περί, ὑπό are transitive, and have the accusative (§ 23). (More rarely, and chiefly in poetry, certain others: ἐπιστρατεύειν τινά, προσπαίζειν τινά; in Thucydid. προσοικεῖν, προσκαθέζεσθαι πόλιν instead of πόλει.)

Rem. 2. In some compounds with σύν, the dative denotes another subject who takes part in the action, e.g. συγκαταγηράσκειν τινί. Οἱ συναναβάντες τῷ Κύρῳ (also σὺν τῷ Κύρῳ).

Besides the usage assigned to the dat. in § 34 of denoting the person for whom something has a certain quality, the dative stands as object of reference (a) with the adjectives which denote likeness (correspondency) and unlikeness, friendly and hostile disposition, as also (b) with the adjectives which, by composition with ἐν, σύν, or ὁμοῦ, denote a reference to something, and a community or companionship, or which (c) are derived from verbs governing the dative, and express the action of the verb, (d) also with the adverbs derived from these adjectives, and with the verbs which signify, to make like, e.g. Ὅμοιος Φιλίππῳ, ἀνόμοιος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς. Γυναῖκα κοινωνὸν ἀγαθὴν οἴκου οὖσαν ἀντίῤῥοπον εἶναι τῷ ἀνδρὶ νομίζω (Xen. Oec. 3, 15). Τάχος καὶ ὀργὴ εὐβουλίᾳ ἐναντία (Thuc. 3, 42). Εὔνους Ἀθηναίοις, ἐχθρὸς Λακεδαιμονίοις. Συγγενής, σύντροφός τινι. Ἀσύμφωνον ἑαυτῷ. Ἔνοχος ταῖς μεγίσταις αἰτίαις. Ὅμοροι τοῖς Ἀρμενίοις. Ὁμώνυμος ἐμοί. Κύνες ἐπιθετικαὶ τοῖς θηρίοις (Xen. Mem. 4, 1, 3). - Ἀκολούθως τοῖς εἰρημένοις. Εὐνοϊκῶς ἔχειν τινί. Συμφερόντως ἑαυτοῖς. - Ὁμοιοῦσθαι τῷ θεῷ.

Rem. 1. The adjectives which denote a correspondency, even when they are compounded with σύν or ὁμοῦ (e.g. ἀκόλουθος, ἀντίστροφος, ἰσόῤῥοπος, ὁμώνυμος, σύμφωνος), together with ἐναντίος, often also take the genitive, e.g. συμμαχία τούτων ἀντίῤῥοπος (Dem. 1, 10, evenly balancing, counterpoising, this). Τεῦκρος Σαλαμῖνα κατῴκισεν ἐν Κύπρῳ, ὁμώνυμον ποιήσας τῆς πρότερον αὑτῷ πατρίδος οὔσης (Isocr. Euag. 18). Τὰ ἐναντία τῶν συμφερόντων συμβουλεύειν. (Rarely ὅμοιος.) Φίλος, ἐχθρός, πολέμιος, ὅμορος, as substantives are used with the genitive (even in the superlative: οἱ ἐκείνου ἔχθιστοι, Xen. An. 3, 2, 5).

Rem. 2. When it is denoted by ὅμοιος, ἴσος, παραπλήσιος, or the adverbs formed from them, that two subjects (or objects) have something equally or similarly, that something in them is equal or alike, the regular construction is, that the subjects are coupled by καί (Ὁμοίαν γνώμην ἔχω καὶ σύ), or by a relative word (ἴσος ὅσοςπερ, παραπλήσιος οἷόςπερ); but by a less exact way of putting it, the Greeks often have the second subject (or object) in the dative, as governed by the adjective (or adverb): Ὁμοίαν γνώμην σοι ἔχω. Τοὺς κακοὺς εὖ ποιῶν ὅμοια πείσει τοῖς τὰς ἀλλοτρίας κύνας σιτίζουσιν (Isocr. Dem. 29). Οὐ καὶ σὺ τύπτει τὰς ἴσας πληγὰς ἐμοί; (Arist. Ran. 636. On the accusative, see § 26, b.) Ἐπιθυμῶ παραπλησίως σοι (Pl. Phaed. 255). Μέθην καὶ ὕπνον ὁμοίως ἐνέδρᾳ φυλάττομαι (Xen. Hier. 6, 3, = ὁμοίως καὶ ἐνέδραν). In the same manner, ὁ αὐτός, the same, is constructed: Τὰ αὐτὰ φρονῶ Δημοσθένει (Dem. 18, 304, = ἃ Δημοσθένης). Τὸν δοῦλον τοῖς αὐτοῖς χαίρειν καὶ ἄχθεσθαι τῷ δεσπότῃ χρή (Pl. Gorg. 510, = οἷς ὁ δεσπότης χαίρει). Ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ κινδύνῳ τοῖς φαυλοτάτοις αἱρούμεθα (Thuc. 7, 77). (Sometimes even where the same verb cannot be repeated: Ἀπέθανε Σιτάλκης ὑπὸ τὰς αὐτὰς ἡμέρας τοῖς ἐπὶ Δηλίῳ, Thuc. 4, 101, = αἷς ἐγένετο τὰ ἐπὶ Δ.)

Rem. 3. (To § 34-37.) Sometimes the dative is used even with a substantive, when it is derived from a verb or adjective which has an object of reference in the dative: Μὴ ἐξαμάρτητε περὶ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ δόσιν ὑμῖν (Pl. Apol. 30). Σύμμαχοι ἐγενόμεθα οὐκ ἐπὶ καταδουλώσει τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις (Thuc. 3, 10). Τὴν αὑτοῖς ὁμοιότητα τῆς διαγωγῆς ἀεὶ ἕξουσιν (Pl. Theet. 177). Ὁ τούτους τοὺς νόμους λύων τοὺς τῷ γήρᾳ βοηθοὺς λυμαίνεται (Dem. 24, 107, usually τοῦ γήρως).

The dative of reference serves in Greek, in some special cases, to denote a certain particular way and manner, and a certain sense, in which the thing predicated takes place for, and in reference to, some person or some thing.

a) The dative with εἰμί, ὑπάρχω, γίγνομαι denotes the person for whom something is or comes to be, i.e. who has it or comes to have it: Νῆες οὐκ εἰσὶν ἡμῖν. Τοιαῦτα ἡμῖν εἰς φιλίαν ὑπάρχει (Xen.). (Παρύσατις ἡ μήτηρ ὑπῆρχε τῷ Κύρῳ, φιλοῦσα αὐτὸν μᾶλλον ἢ Ἀρταξέρξην (Xen. An. 1, 1, 4, was devotedly attached to). Ἐκ τῶν δούλων δώδεκα μναῖ ἑκάστου τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ τῷ πατρὶ ἐγίγνοντο (Dem. 27, 24). Πόθεν αἱ διαβολαί σοι αὗται γεγόνασιν; (Pl. Apol. 20.) (Οὐδὲν ἐμοὶ καὶ Φιλίππῳ, I and Ph. have nothing to do with each other. Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί;)

b) The dative stands in statements of the time that has elapsed since a person has been in a certain state, or since a certain action: Ἡμέρα ἦν πέμπτη ἐπιπλέουσιν Ἀθηναίοις (Xen. Hell. 2, 1, 27, it was the fifth day on which the Athenians; the Athenians had been five days -). Ἡμέραι μάλιστα ἦσαν τῇ Μιτυλήνῃ ἑαλωκυίᾳ ἑπτά, ὅτ' ἐς τὸ Ἔμβατον οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι κατέπλευσαν (Thuc. 3, 29). (Rarely without a participle subjoined: Ἔτη ταύτῃ τῇ ναυμαχίᾳ ἑξήκοντα καὶ διακόσιά ἐστι μεχρὶ τῆς τελευτῆς τοῦδε τοῦ πολέμου, Thuc. 1, 13.)

c) The dative of a participle is used to denote when, or in what situation, something shews itself (especially when a relation of place is assigned): Τὸ μὲν ἔξωθεν ἁπτομένῳ σῶμα οὐκ ἄγαν θερμὸν ἦν, τὰ δ' ἐντὸς ἐκαίετο (Thuc. 2, 49). (Ἡ διαβάντι τὸν ποταμὸν πρὸς ἑσπέραν ὁδὸς ἐπὶ Λυδίαν φέρει, Xen. An. 3, 5, 15, the road to the west, when you have crossed the river.) Πρὸς εὐδοξίαν καὶ ὠφέλειαν σκοπουμένῳ ὁ μὲν ἐπαινέτης τοῦ δικαίου ἀληθεύει, ὁ δὲ ψέκτης οὐδὲν ὑγιὲς λέγει, Pl. Rep. 9, 589. Hence συνελόντι (συντέμνοντι) εἰπεῖν, to speak it briefly, and simply συνελόντι, without the infinitive, in brief; in short. (On εἰπεῖν, see § 151, R. 1.)

d) The dative of a noun with a participle is used with ἐστίν, to denote a person's state of mind upon something (especially of inclination or aversion, βουλομένῳ): Τῷ πλήθει τῶν Πλαταιέων οὐ βουλομένῳ ἦν τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἀφίστασθαι (Thuc. 2, 3). Ἐπανέλθωμεν, ὅθεν ἀπελίπομεν, εἴ σοι ἡδομένῳ ἐστίν (Pl. Phaed. 78).

e) Often a dative of reference denotes the person in whom, and in whose affairs, and, at the same time, in whose interest, something takes place; so that, instead of the dative referred to the predicate, we might have, with only a slight modification of the way of conceiving the relation, a genitive referred to the subject: Οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἀντεῖχον, μέχρι οἱ τοξόται εἶχόν τε τὰ βέλη αὐτοῖς καὶ οἷοί τε ἦσαν χρῆσθαι (Thuc. 3, 98). Οἱ Περσῶν νόμοι δοκοῦσιν ἄρχεσθαι τοῦ κοινοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἐπιμελούμενοι (begin with the care for the common good) οὐκ ἔνθεν ταῖς πλείσταις πόλεσιν ἄρχονται (Xen. Cyr. 1, 2, 2; those of most states, in most states). (Ὁ αὐτοέντης ἡμῖν πατρός, Soph. Pl. 272, he that slew our father.)

With a participle added, approximating now and then to the signification of a double genitive: Ξενοφῶντι διὰ τῆς μεσογαίας πορευομένῳ οἱ ἱππεῖς προκαταθέοντες ἐντυγχάνουσι πρεσβύταις πορευομένοις ποι (Xen. An. 6, 3 (1) 10; on Xenophon's march, his horsemen fall in with -). Εἱργομένοις οὖν αὐτοῖς (τοῖς Χίοις) τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ κατὰ γῆν πορθουμένοις ἐνεχείρησάν τινες πρὸς Ἀθηναίους ἀγαγεῖν τὴν πόλιν (Thuc. 8, 24).

f) The dative of the personal pronouns, especially of the first person, is added in expressions of surprise and of blame, in demands, expostulations, and the like, to denote a certain participation, and an interest in the person speaking, spoken to, or spoken of: Σωφροσύνης ἄρα οὐ δεήσει ἡμῖν τοῖς νεανίαις; (Pl. Rep. 3, 389.) Τούτῳ πάνυ μοι προσέχετε τὸν νοῦν (Dem. 18, 178). [This dat. is called the Dativus Ethicus.]

g) Sometimes the dative of the agent stands with passive verbs instead of ὑπό with the genitive; but in prose, for the most part, only with the perfect and pluperfect (to denote what one has complete and ready): Ἃ ὑπισχνοῦ ποιήσειν ἀγαθὰ ἡμᾶς, ἀποτετέλεσταί σοι ἤδη (Xen. Cyr. 3, 2, 16). Τὰ σοὶ πεπραγμένα (Dem. 19, 291). (Τίνες ἂν ὑμῶν δικαιότερον πᾶσι τοῖς Ἕλλησι μισοῖντο; Thuc. 3, 64.)

As the case which denotes circumstance and appurtenance (Lat. ablative), the dative stands, partly by itself, used in different ways, partly with the prepositions ἐν and σύν, together with ἅμα (which in prose is used, for the most part, only in definitions of time, ἅμα τῇ ἕῳ, ἅμα τῷ σίτῳ ἀκμάζοντι), and with other prepositions (ἀμφί, ἐπί [μετά], παρά, περί, πρός, ὑπό) in certain significations which arise out of the signification on, at, by: Βάλλειν τινὰ λίθοις, ξίφει, ὠθεῖν τινα ταῖς χερσίν (ἐν χειρί, διὰ χειρῶν ἔχειν τι), φαρμάκῳ ἀποθνήσκειν, γιγνώσκειν τινὰ τῇ σκευῇ (Thuc. 1, 8), πολέμῳ χώραν προσκτᾶσθαι, καταπλήττειν τοὺς ἄλλους τῷ ἀξιώματι, ἐκπεπλῆχθαι ταῖς συμφοραῖς; τιμᾶν (κοσμεῖν) τινα στεφάνοις, ζημιοῦν τινα θανάτῳ, φυγῇ, χρήμασιν (in money), ἀνηκέστῳ πονηρίᾳ νοσεῖν (Xen. Mem. 3, 5, 18, of, with), οἰκίαι κατεσκευασμέναι χαλκώμασι παμπόλλοις (provided with), κέρδει καὶ πλούτῳ κρίνειν τι (Pl. Rep. 9, 582, judge by, according to). Δέχεσθαί τινα πόλει, in the city (usually εἰς πόλιν, into the city).

Rem. Διά with the genitive denotes the more remote means, by means of: Ποτέρα ὀρθοτέρα ἀπόκρισις, ᾧ ὁρῶμεν; τοῦτ' εἶναι ὀφθαλμοὺς, ἢ δι' οὗ ὁρῶμεν; (Pl. Theet. 184.) In certain connexions ἀπό is used of origin, beginning, starting-point (Οὐκ ἀπὸ τύχης ἐγένετο, Lys. 21, 10, ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν λόγων ἀποτρέπειν τὸν δῆμον, Thuc. 6, 19. ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων κρίνειν, ἀπὸ σημείου ἑνός, adverbially: ἀπὸ στόματος), especially of resources (of money, and the like, from, by, with, by means of, ζῆν ἀπὸ λείας, ἀπὸ τῶν χρημάτων στράτευμα συλλέγειν, Xen. An. 2, 6, 5, τὸ ναυτικὸν τρέφειν ἀπὸ προσόδων τινῶν, Thuc. 1, 81, ἀπὸ διακοσίων νεῶν καὶ χιλίων ταλάντων καταπολεμεῖν τινα, Isocr. Antid. 111); in other connexions ἐξ, of the occasion, source, etc. (ἐκ τοιᾶςδε προφάσεως, ἐξ ἁπάντων τούτων ἄχθεσθαι, Pl. Rep. 8, 549, ἐξ εὐεργεσιῶν εὐμενῶς διατίθεσθαί τινι, Isocr. Paneg. 28). In certain connexions sometimes ἐν, in, i.e. by, of the distinctive mark by which any thing is recognized: Ὅτι οἱ θεοί σε εὐμενῶς πέμπουσι, καὶ ἐν ἱεροῖς δῆλον καὶ ἐν οὐρανίοις σημείοις (Xen. Cyr. 1, 6, 2). (Ὁρᾶν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς, to see before one's eyes, etc.)

The dative denotes the side, aspect, regard or property, on and in which the predicate shews itself, the notion to which it refers: Γένει Ἕλλην, φύσει κακός, ἡλικίᾳ νέος, ὑπερβάλλειν (προέχειν, διαφέρειν) ἀρετῇ, φρονήσει, πλήθει, μεγέθει, πλεονεκτεῖν τινος τιμαῖς καὶ χρήμασιν (Xen. An. 3, 1, 37). Ἔργῳ, τῷ ὄντι, λόγῳ, τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, in deed, in reality, in word, in truth. Τὸ πράττειν τοῦ λέγειν ὕστερον ὂν τῇ τάξει, πρότερον τῇ δυνάμει ἐστίν (Dem. 3, 15). Ναυσὶ καὶ πεζῷ νικᾶσθαι. Σώμασιν ἰσχύειν. Βλάπτεσθαι τῷ βελτίστῳ τοῦ ὁπλιτικοῦ (Thuc. 4, 78; to suffer loss in the best part, the flower, of -).

Rem. To denote a part of the subject itself, the accusative is used, § 31. In certain general notions to which a term predicated of the subject refers, both cases are used, partly without any distinction, e.g. πόλις μεγάλη, Θάψακος ὀνόματι and ὄνομα Θ., γένει Ἕλλην and τὸ γένος Ἕ. (with the article; but also Κορίνθιος γένος, Thuc. 1, 24), partly with a slight distinction, e.g. δισχίλιοι τὸ πλῆθος, but διαφέρειν (ὑπερβάλλειν, etc.) πλήθει, φύσει ἀγαθός, by nature, naturally, ἀμβλύτερος τὴν φύσιν, duller in natural gifts; of duller nature or capacity.

The dative denotes the efficient cause from or through which any thing is done: Ἀγνοίᾳ ἁμαρτάνειν, φόβῳ (εὐνοίᾳ) τὰ προσταγμένα ποιεῖν. Μέλητος τὴν γραφὴν ταύτην ὕβρει τινὶ καὶ ἀκολασίᾳ καὶ νεότητι γράψασθαι δοκεῖ (Pl. Apol. 26).

Rem. The moving cause, or that on account of which any thing is done, is denoted by διά with the accusative; sometimes, however, the dative approximates to this signification: Δημοσθένης τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ἐφοβεῖτο τοὺς Ἀθηναίους (Thuc. 3, 98). (Τῇ ἡδονῇ, for pleasure, for joy, e.g. γελᾶν.)