ἐπί
Ancient Greek
Alternative forms
- ἐπ’ (ep’) — apocopic, before a smooth breathing
- ἔπι (épi) — stress-shifted
- ἔπ’ (ép’) — stressed apocopic, before a smooth breathing
- ἐτ (et) — Thessalian, before τ
- ἐφ’ (eph’) — apocopic, before a rough breathing
Etymology
From Proto-Hellenic *epí, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi.
Cognate with Sanskrit अपि (ápi), Avestan 𐬀𐬌𐬞𐬌 (aipi), Old Persian 𐎠𐎱𐎡𐎹 (apiy), Old Armenian եւ (ew), Latin ob, and Old English bī (English by).
The genitive is an innovated Greek associative. The dative is from the PIE locative. The accusative is from the pre-PIE directional.
Pronunciation
- (5th BCE Attic) IPA(key): /e.pí/
- (1st CE Egyptian) IPA(key): /eˈpi/
- (4th CE Koine) IPA(key): /eˈpi/
- (10th CE Byzantine) IPA(key): /eˈpi/
- (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA(key): /eˈpi/
Preposition
ἐπῐ́ • (epí) (governs the genitive, dative, and accusative)
- [+genitive]
- on, upon (on the upper surface of)
- καθέζεται ἐπὶ θρόνου.
- kathézetai epì thrónou.
- He sits down on a throne.
- on (supported by)
- (mostly post-Homeric) in
- 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 1705–1706:
- ἇς ἔχρῃζε γᾶς ἐπὶ ξένας / ἔθανε
- hâs ékhrēize gâs epì xénas / éthane
- He died on the foreign ground that he desired.
- ἇς ἔχρῃζε γᾶς ἐπὶ ξένας / ἔθανε
- at, near
- (of ships) at (dependent upon)
- ὁρμεῖν ἐπ’ ἀγκύρας
- hormeîn ep’ ankúras
- to ride at anchor
- (with reflexive or personal pronoun) by oneself
- ἐφ’ ἑαυτῶν ἐχώρουν
- eph’ heautôn ekhṓroun
- They proceeded by themselves.
- (with numerals, of a body of soldiers) deep
- ἐτάχθησαν ἐπὶ τεττάρων
- etákhthēsan epì tettárōn
- They formed a line four men deep.
- (with a person) before (in the presence of)
- 480 BCE – 411 BCE, Antiphon of Rhamnus, First Tetralogy 3.8:
- οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ μαρτύρων ἀλλὰ κρυπτόμενα πράσσεται τὰ τοιαῦτα
- ou gàr epì martúrōn allà kruptómena prássetai tà toiaûta
- Crimes of this kind are committed in secret, not before witnesses.
- οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ μαρτύρων ἀλλὰ κρυπτόμενα πράσσεται τὰ τοιαῦτα
- in the case of; on
- ἐπὶ τῶν πλουσίων […] αἰσθάνομαι
- epì tôn plousíōn […] aisthánomai
- In the case of the rich, I can see that […]
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Memorabilia 3.9.3:
- ὁρῶ δ’ ἔγωγε καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων πάντων ὁμοίως καὶ φύσει διαφέροντας ἀλλήλων τοὺς ἀνθρώπους
- horô d’ égōge kaì epì tôn állōn pántōn homoíōs kaì phúsei diaphérontas allḗlōn toùs anthrṓpous
- And similarly in all other points, I find that human beings naturally differ from one another.
- ὁρῶ δ’ ἔγωγε καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων πάντων ὁμοίως καὶ φύσει διαφέροντας ἀλλήλων τοὺς ἀνθρώπους
- in the time of
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 23.332:
- τό γε νύσσα τέτυκτο ἐπὶ προτέρων ἀνθρώπων, / καὶ νῦν τέρματ’ ἔθηκε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς
- tó ge nússa tétukto epì protérōn anthrṓpōn, / kaì nûn térmat’ éthēke podárkēs dîos Akhilleús
- Haply it was made the turning-post of a race in the days of men of old, and now swift-footed goodly Achilles has appointed it his turning-post.
- τό γε νύσσα τέτυκτο ἐπὶ προτέρων ἀνθρώπων, / καὶ νῦν τέρματ’ ἔθηκε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς
- (of authority, power, etc.) in
- οἰ έπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων
- oi épì tôn pragmátōn
- the [men] in power
- on (an occasion)
- 361 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Midias 38:
- καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ τούτου μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ πάντων φαίνεται προῃρημένος μ’ ὑβρίζειν
- kaì ouk epì toútou mónon, all’ epì pántōn phaínetai proēirēménos m’ hubrízein
- And not only on that, but on every [occasion] he has shown a deliberate intention to insult me.
- καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ τούτου μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ πάντων φαίνεται προῃρημένος μ’ ὑβρίζειν
- on, upon (on the upper surface of)
- [+dative]
- on, upon
- καθέζεται ἐπὶ θρόνῳ.
- kathézetai epì thrónōi.
- He sits down on a throne.
- 408 BCE, Euripides, The Phoenician Women 1131:
- σιδηρονώτοις δ’ ἀσπίδος τύποις ἐπῆν / γίγας ἐπ’ ὤμοις γηγενὴς ὅλην πόλιν / φέρων μοχλοῖσιν ἐξανασπάσας βάθρων
- sidēronṓtois d’ aspídos túpois epên / gígas ep’ ṓmois gēgenḕs hólēn pólin / phérōn mokhloîsin exanaspásas báthrōn
- This device his shield bore upon its iron back: an earth-born giant carrying on his shoulders a whole city which he had wrenched from its base.
- σιδηρονώτοις δ’ ἀσπίδος τύποις ἐπῆν / γίγας ἐπ’ ὤμοις γηγενὴς ὅλην πόλιν / φέρων μοχλοῖσιν ἐξανασπάσας βάθρων
- in
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 5.77.2:
- νικήσαντες δὲ καὶ τούτους τετρακισχιλίους κληρούχους ἐπὶ τῶν ἱπποβοτέων τῇ χώρῃ λείπουσι
- nikḗsantes dè kaì toútous tetrakiskhilíous klēroúkhous epì tôn hippobotéōn têi khṓrēi leípousi
- And after overcoming them as well, they left four thousand tenant farmers on the lands of the horse-breeders.
- νικήσαντες δὲ καὶ τούτους τετρακισχιλίους κληρούχους ἐπὶ τῶν ἱπποβοτέων τῇ χώρῃ λείπουσι
- at, near
- over
- in honor of
- against
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 6.74.1:
- ἐνθεῦτεν δὲ ἀπικόμενος ἐς τὴν Ἀρκαδίην νεώτερα ἔπρησσε πρήγματα, συνιστὰς τοὺς Ἀρκάδας ἐπὶ τῆ Σπάρτῃ
- entheûten dè apikómenos es tḕn Arkadíēn neṓtera éprēsse prḗgmata, sunistàs toùs Arkádas epì tê Spártēi
- From there he came to Arcadia and stirred up disorder, uniting the Arcadians against Sparta.
- ἐνθεῦτεν δὲ ἀπικόμενος ἐς τὴν Ἀρκαδίην νεώτερα ἔπρησσε πρήγματα, συνιστὰς τοὺς Ἀρκάδας ἐπὶ τῆ Σπάρτῃ
- in addition to, over, besides
- (with duplication of head noun) after
- ὄγχνη ἐπ’ ὄγχνῃ γηράσκει
- ónkhnē ep’ ónkhnēi gēráskei
- One pear after another ripens.
- 458 BCE, Aeschylus, The Libation Bearers 404:
- βοᾷ γὰρ λοιγὸς Ἐρινὺν / παρὰ τῶν πρότερον φθιμένων ἄτην / ἑτέραν ἐπάγουσαν ἐπ’ ἄτῃ
- boâi gàr loigòs Erinùn / parà tôn próteron phthiménōn átēn / hetéran epágousan ep’ átēi
- Murder cries out on the Fury, which from those killed before brings one ruin after another.
- βοᾷ γὰρ λοιγὸς Ἐρινὺν / παρὰ τῶν πρότερον φθιμένων ἄτην / ἑτέραν ἐπάγουσαν ἐπ’ ἄτῃ
- in the power of
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 8.29.2:
- νῦν τε παρὰ τῷ βαρβάρῳ τοσοῦτο δυνάμεθα ὥστε ἐπ’ ἡμῖν ἐστι τῆς γῆς ἐστερῆσθαι καὶ πρὸς ἠνδραποδίσθαι ὑμέας
- nûn te parà tôi barbárōi tosoûto dunámetha hṓste ep’ hēmîn esti tês gês esterêsthai kaì pròs ēndrapodísthai huméas
- And now we bear such weight with the foreigner that it is in our power to have you deprived of your lands and enslaved.
- νῦν τε παρὰ τῷ βαρβάρῳ τοσοῦτο δυνάμεθα ὥστε ἐπ’ ἡμῖν ἐστι τῆς γῆς ἐστερῆσθαι καὶ πρὸς ἠνδραποδίσθαι ὑμέας
- according to
- 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Timocrates 56:
- τὰς δίκας καὶ τὰς διαίτας, ὅσαι ἐγένοντο ἐπὶ τοῖς νόμοις ἐν δημοκρατουμένῃ τῇ πόλει, κυρίας εἶναι
- tàs díkas kaì tàs diaítas, hósai egénonto epì toîs nómois en dēmokratouménēi têi pólei, kurías eînai
- Judgements and awards given according to the law while the government was democratic, shall be valid.
- τὰς δίκας καὶ τὰς διαίτας, ὅσαι ἐγένοντο ἐπὶ τοῖς νόμοις ἐν δημοκρατουμένῃ τῇ πόλει, κυρίας εἶναι
- (of conditions or circumstances) in, with
- 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 1554:
- κἀπ’ εὐπραξίᾳ / μέμνησθέ μου θανόντος εὐτυχεῖς ἀεί
- kap’ eupraxíāi / mémnēsthé mou thanóntos eutukheîs aeí
- And in your prosperity, remember me in my death, and be fortunate evermore.
- κἀπ’ εὐπραξίᾳ / μέμνησθέ μου θανόντος εὐτυχεῖς ἀεί
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.3.12:
- τοσαύτας μὲν αὐτοῖς εὐθυμίας παρεῖχεν ἐπὶ τῷ δείπνῳ
- tosaútas mèn autoîs euthumías pareîkhen epì tôi deípnōi
- He furnished them such amusement at dinner.
- τοσαύτας μὲν αὐτοῖς εὐθυμίας παρεῖχεν ἐπὶ τῷ δείπνῳ
- (of time, never in proper Attic) at, on
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.234:
- ἀλλ’ αὖθι κυνῶν μέλπηθρα γένοιτο, / ὅς τις ἐπ’ ἤματι τῷδε ἑκὼν μεθίῃσι μάχεσθαι
- all’ aûthi kunôn mélpēthra génoito, / hós tis ep’ ḗmati tôide hekṑn methíēisi mákhesthai
- But here may he, who on this day of his own will shrinks from fight, become the sport of dogs.
- ἀλλ’ αὖθι κυνῶν μέλπηθρα γένοιτο, / ὅς τις ἐπ’ ἤματι τῷδε ἑκὼν μεθίῃσι μάχεσθαι
- (of time) after
- (expressing a cause) on account of, for
- (expressing a purpose) for
- (of a condition) on
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.60.3:
- ἐνδεξαμένου δὲ τὸν λόγον καὶ ὁμολογήσαντος ἐπὶ τούτοισι Πεισιστράτου, μηχανῶνται δὴ ἐπὶ τῇ κατόδῳ πρῆγμα
- endexaménou dè tòn lógon kaì homologḗsantos epì toútoisi Peisistrátou, mēkhanôntai dḕ epì têi katódōi prêgma
- When this offer was accepted by Pisistratus, who agreed on these terms [with Megacles], they devised a plan to bring Pisistratus back.
- ἐνδεξαμένου δὲ τὸν λόγον καὶ ὁμολογήσαντος ἐπὶ τούτοισι Πεισιστράτου, μηχανῶνται δὴ ἐπὶ τῇ κατόδῳ πρῆγμα
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica :
- ἀλλ’ ἐποιοῦντο εἰρήνην ἐφ’ ᾧ τά τε μακρὰ τείχη καὶ τὸν Πειραιᾶ καθελόντας
- all’ epoioûnto eirḗnēn eph’ hôi tá te makrà teíkhē kaì tòn Peiraiâ kathelóntas
- They offered to make peace on the condition that the Athenians destroy the long walls and the walls of Piraeus.
- ἀλλ’ ἐποιοῦντο εἰρήνην ἐφ’ ᾧ τά τε μακρὰ τείχη καὶ τὸν Πειραιᾶ καθελόντας
- for (i.e. in exchange for)
- (of a name) for
- 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, R 470b:
- ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῇ τοῦ οἰκείου ἔχθρᾳ στάσις κέκληται, ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ τοῦ ἀλλοτρίου πόλεμος
- epì mèn oûn têi toû oikeíou ékhthrāi stásis kéklētai, epì dè têi toû allotríou pólemos
- Now the term employed for the hostility of the friendly is faction, and for that of the alien is war.
- ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῇ τοῦ οἰκείου ἔχθρᾳ στάσις κέκληται, ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ τοῦ ἀλλοτρίου πόλεμος
- in charge of
- on, upon
- [+accusative]
- onto (the upper surface of)
- ἀνέβαινεν ἐπὶ τὸν ἵππον
- anébainen epì tòn híppon
- He got up onto the horse.
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.131.2:
- οἳ δὲ νομίζουσι Διὶ μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλότατα τῶν ὀρέων ἀναβαίνοντες θυσίας ἔρδειν
- hoì dè nomízousi Diì mèn epì tà hupsēlótata tôn oréōn anabaínontes thusías érdein
- They are accustomed to go up onto the highest peaks of the mountains to offer sacrifices to Zeus.
- οἳ δὲ νομίζουσι Διὶ μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλότατα τῶν ὀρέων ἀναβαίνοντες θυσίας ἔρδειν
- to
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 3.421:
- αἳ δ’ ὅτ’ Ἀλεξάνδροιο δόμον περικαλλέ’ ἵκοντο, ἀμφίπολοι μὲν ἔπειτα θοῶς ἐπὶ ἔργα τράποντο
- haì d’ hót’ Alexándroio dómon perikallé’ híkonto, amphípoloi mèn épeita thoôs epì érga tráponto
- Now when they were come to the beautiful palace of Alexander, the handmaids turned forthwith to their tasks.
- αἳ δ’ ὅτ’ Ἀλεξάνδροιο δόμον περικαλλέ’ ἵκοντο, ἀμφίπολοι μὲν ἔπειτα θοῶς ἐπὶ ἔργα τράποντο
- up to, as far as
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 4.181.1:
- ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς θηριώδεος ὀφρύη ψάμμης κατήκει παρατείνουσα ἀπὸ Θηβέων τῶν Αἰγυπτιέων ἐπ’ Ἡρακλέας στήλας
- hupèr dè tês thēriṓdeos ophrúē psámmēs katḗkei parateínousa apò Thēbéōn tôn Aiguptiéōn ep’ Hērakléas stḗlas
- Beyond this wild beasts' haunt runs a ridge of sand that stretches from Thebes of Egypt up to the Pillars of Heracles.
- ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς θηριώδεος ὀφρύη ψάμμης κατήκει παρατείνουσα ἀπὸ Θηβέων τῶν Αἰγυπτιέων ἐπ’ Ἡρακλέας στήλας
- (with a person) to before, into the presence of
- 70 CE – 110 CE, The Gospel of Matthew 10:18:
- καὶ ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνας δὲ καὶ βασιλεῖς ἀχθήσεσθε ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ
- kaì epì hēgemónas dè kaì basileîs akhthḗsesthe héneken emoû
- Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake.
- καὶ ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνας δὲ καὶ βασιλεῖς ἀχθήσεσθε ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ
- (of an army) deep
- 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.93:
- ἐπ’ ἀσπίδας δὲ πέντε μὲν καὶ εἴκοσι Θηβαῖοι ἐτάξαντο
- ep’ aspídas dè pénte mèn kaì eíkosi Thēbaîoi etáxanto
- The Thebans formed twenty-five shields deep.
- ἐπ’ ἀσπίδας δὲ πέντε μὲν καὶ εἴκοσι Θηβαῖοι ἐτάξαντο
- to or into a certain side
- against
- over
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 2.159:
- οὕτω δὴ οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν / Ἀργεῖοι φεύξονται ἐπ’ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης
- hoútō dḕ oîkon dè phílēn es patrída gaîan / Argeîoi pheúxontai ep’ euréa nôta thalássēs
- Is it thus indeed that the Argives are to flee their dear native land over the broad back of the sea?
- οὕτω δὴ οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν / Ἀργεῖοι φεύξονται ἐπ’ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης
- (of time) for, during
- (of time) up to, until
- for (the purpose of)
- for (with respect to)
- over (in command of)
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 4.5.58:
- ἐπὶ δὲ τοὺς πεζοὺς τῶν ὁμοτίμων ἀνθ’ αὑτοῦ ἕκαστον καθιστάναι ἄλλον ἄρχοντα τῶν ὁμοτίμων
- epì dè toùs pezoùs tôn homotímōn anth’ hautoû hékaston kathistánai állon árkhonta tôn homotímōn
- He also instructed each one of the newly-mounted officers to appoint some other peer to take his place of command over the infantry of the peers.
- ἐπὶ δὲ τοὺς πεζοὺς τῶν ὁμοτίμων ἀνθ’ αὑτοῦ ἕκαστον καθιστάναι ἄλλον ἄρχοντα τῶν ὁμοτίμων
- onto (the upper surface of)
- (without a noun) as well, besides (often with δέ (dé))
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 18.529:
- οἳ μὲν τὰ προϊδόντες ἐπέδραμον, ὦκα δ’ ἔπειτα / τάμνοντ’ ἀμφὶ βοῶν ἀγέλας καὶ πώεα καλὰ / ἀργεννέων οἰῶν, κτεῖνον δ’ ἐπὶ μηλοβοτῆρας
- hoì mèn tà proïdóntes epédramon, ôka d’ épeita / támnont’ amphì boôn agélas kaì pṓea kalà / argennéōn oiôn, kteînon d’ epì mēlobotêras
- But the liers-in-wait, when they saw these coming on, rushed forth against them and speedily cut off the herds of cattle and fair flocks of white-fleeced sheep, and slew the herdsmen as well.
- οἳ μὲν τὰ προϊδόντες ἐπέδραμον, ὦκα δ’ ἔπειτα / τάμνοντ’ ἀμφὶ βοῶν ἀγέλας καὶ πώεα καλὰ / ἀργεννέων οἰῶν, κτεῖνον δ’ ἐπὶ μηλοβοτῆρας
For usage in composition, see ἐπι- (epi-).
Derived terms
Ancient Greek terms prefixed with ἐπι-
Descendants
- Greek: επί (epí)
References
- “ἐπί”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “ἐπί”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
- “ἐπί”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
- ἐπί in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
- ἐπί in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
- “ἐπί”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
- G1909 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
- Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
- aboard idem, page 2.
- about idem, page 2.
- addition idem, page 11.
- address idem, page 11.
- after idem, page 17.
- against idem, page 18.
- angry idem, page 29.
- arrive idem, page 41.
- as idem, page 42.
- at idem, page 48.
- attack idem, page 49.
- beside idem, page 75.
- board idem, page 86.
- by idem, page 107.
- change idem, page 123.
- charge idem, page 125.
- delight idem, page 208.
- depend idem, page 211.
- deride idem, page 214.
- direction idem, page 226.
- enjoy idem, page 275.
- exult idem, page 298.
- fall idem, page 303.
- fetch idem, page 317.
- finishing idem, page 322.
- for idem, page 334.
- frequent idem, page 344.
- gaze idem, page 355.
- glory in idem, page 363.
- hate idem, page 388.
- haunt idem, page 388.
- head idem, page 389.
- invade idem, page 456.
- joy idem, page 464.
- laugh idem, page 478.
- lean idem, page 482.
- look idem, page 498.
- make idem, page 508.
- mercy idem, page 525.
- mock idem, page 537.
- mount idem, page 543.
- muster idem, page 548.
- near idem, page 553.
- on idem, page 573.
- over idem, page 584.
- pass idem, page 595.
- patronise idem, page 599.
- please idem, page 619.
- plume oneself (on) idem, page 621.
- power idem, page 630.
- price idem, page 640.
- pride idem, page 640.
- proud idem, page 653.
- pursuit idem, page 659.
- put idem, page 660.
- rate idem, page 673.
- reach idem, page 675.
- rejoice idem, page 689.
- sail idem, page 731.
- scale idem, page 736.
- scan idem, page 737.
- scoff idem, page 740.
- send idem, page 751.
- study idem, page 829.
- sympathise idem, page 850.
- tend idem, page 861.
- time idem, page 875.
- to idem, page 878.
- top idem, page 881.
- towards idem, page 884.
- triumph idem, page 896.
- turn idem, page 901.
- up idem, page 937.
- upon idem, page 938.
- vaunt idem, page 945.
- vex idem, page 949.
- visit idem, page 954.
- weep idem, page 972.
- Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), volume I, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 440
- Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920) “Part IV: Syntax”, in A Greek grammar for colleges, Cambridge: American Book Company, § 1689
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