364 DISQUISITIONS o;i the 



the fecond is under the firft. In the prepofltion viri^, the Greeks 

 tifed the one mode of expreffion ; in the prepofition vzo the 

 other. In the Enghfli prepofitions by which thefe are rendered, 

 a fimilar analogy in both cafes takes place. 



As the adjecflive yVos, therefore, originally and literally figni- 

 fied bi^b, the prepofition viro has radically the fame meaning, 

 and to this primary idea its various ufes have a diredt reference. 



I. Literally and moft ufually, it denotes i/nder or ielow in 

 point oi place, from the analogy already explained. Kal rov Wi^ 

 yiii >^ vTo 7^1/ x^va-ov, " the gold both above and under the 

 " ground," — " the gold, — higher in refpedl of the ground, and 

 " the gold in regard to which the ground is higher." 



"Afta KKTiKemro, fjukv eluco, yir' avTov, LuCIAN. 



" They fat down together, the one above, the other below him, 

 " (Zeno)," — " they fat down together, in fuch a pofition, that 

 " the one was above Zeno, — and Zeno was high — in regard to 

 " the other." 



"AX>.o (x^v l^iffkixriv W5r' IXvoi. ApOLLON. 



" He faved one fandal from under the mud," " he faved one 

 " fandal, — place quitted, — the fituation in which the mud was 

 " high in regard to it." 



"EvJov e/i/((AV£ ir'tSs vvo ^&Xe(riii, Hesiod. 



" It remained within, under the edges of the veflel,"— " it re- 

 " mained within, in fuch a fituation that the edges of the veflel 

 " were high, or in a high pofition in regard to it." 



By an eafy extenfion of this meaning, u^o came to denote that 

 one objedl was in any way covered or hid by another. Ka< y-m 

 xciTctK^vvrei v'!ro rriv hu^av, (Herodot.), " he conceals him behind 

 " the door,"—" he conceals him in fuch a pofition that the door 



