3i8 DiSSlUJSrTlONS on t/je 



AVTI. 



Avt) is explained both by Linnep and Scheide, as one of the 

 cafes of an obfolete noun civ?, in the genitive oinro;, fignifying 

 front ov ftice. In this etymology they appear to be well found- 

 ed ; for though the noun dv? itfelf is fallen into difufe, yet we 

 ftill find fufficient remains to indicate its former exiftence. Acra, 

 evidently its accufative cafe, is in frequent ufe as an adverb, to 

 exprefs before, — in pre fence, in face of: clvrnv, probably the accu- 

 fative cafe of a cognate noun, is likewife ufed adverbially in the 

 fame fenfe with avra,: the adjedlives evrtfr/osand di/rioi*, and the ad- 

 verb avTiK^vs, both of them immediate derivatives, exprefs alfo 

 va. prefence, in front of: the verb cLvn^ca is explained by Hesy- 

 CHius as fynonymous with 'kira.nimv, to fupplicate, /. e. to fall 

 down before, or in front of, in prefence of. To all this may be 

 added, that the Latin prepofition ante (evidently the fame word 

 radically with the Greek «m f ), uniformly expreffes before, 

 equivalent to in front ; and in the fame language we find a fub- 

 ftantive noun anta, (a plural from the Angular anta,) denoting 



the 



• That ivrloi fignifies literally in front, the following trait in the Spartan epi. 

 gram, which delcribes the body of Thrasybui-US carried back, from the battle, 

 clearly afcertains : 



" having received feven wounds, — fliowing them all in front-" 



\ The Latin language is well known to be derived from the Greek ; but it 

 fhould always be attended to, that it is the Molic dialeft of the Greek which muft 

 be regarded as the immediate parent of the Latin. Hence many of the words tranf- 

 planted from the Greek to the Latin are found to differ from the common dialeft, 

 but to refcinble very clofely the correfponding word in the .£oIic. 



