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A Neglected Sense of μέρος
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 May 2015
Extract
The use of μέρος in the sense of ‘side’ has long been recognized in the Septuagint. This sense is beyond doubt in numerous passages, as for example Ex. 32. 15 πλάκες λίθιναι καταγεγραμμέναι έξ αμφοτέρων τῶν μερῶν αυτῶν. In none of these can it be attributed to Hebraism.
It is also recognized in the NT in Eυ. Jo. 21.6 βάλετε εἰṽ τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη του πλοίου τò δίκτυον, and several times in other early Christian literature (Hermas and Eυ. Petr.).
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- Copyright © Canadian Journal of Law and Jurisprudence 1969
References
1 See Schleusner, J. Fr.Movus Thesaurus philologico-criticus, sive Lexicon in LXX (Londini, 1839), s.v.Google Scholar
It is necessary to attempt a definition of this sense, difficult though this is. (‘Side’ is of course used throughout for convenience in place of a full definition.) I propose to define μέρος ‘side’ as follows: 1. One or other of the surfaces or bounding lines of an object conceived as having either (a) two surfaces or bounding lines and little or no appreciable thickness, or (b) three or more surfaces or bounding lines, 2. (a) One or other direction to either hand of an object, space, or imaginary line, (b) The space lying in a specified direction from an object or point. All the examples in this paper are I believe covered by these definitions (adapted from OED s.v. side).
I should like to thank Professors G. P. Shipp and W. Ritchie for their helpful criticisms of this paper.
2 Others are Nu. 8. 3, Jo. 18. 14, Je. 52. 23, Ez. 47. 19, 1 Ma. 6.38, 2 Ma. 3. a6.
3 μέρος ‘side’ translates a wide variety of Heb. words (notably mul, ‘ ēher, pēāh, sad, sēlā’, qāseh, qeāst), none of which provides occasion for Hebraism: i.e. none has the two senses of ‘part’ and ‘side’.
4 See Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, s.v.
5 Moulton, J.H. and Milligan, G.The Vocabulary of the Greek Mew Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary Sources (London, 1914–30), s.v.Google Scholar
The only discussion of this use known to me is that by Ljungvik, O.H.Studien zur Sprache der apokryphen Apostelgeschichten (Uppsala, 1926), pp. 9a f.Google Scholar Ljungvik collects the examples in NT Apocrypha, but does not note parallels beyond the examples in Th. and OGI noticed below.
6 Lexicon to Herodotus, s.v.
7 This sentence, like other parts of H.’s description of the borders of Scythia, is not altogether clear, and has been interpreted in different ways (see the commentaries), but the sense of μέρος is certain.
8 Op. cit., p. 92.
9 Ambiguity is at least possible also in vii 43. 4.
10 No other Classical examples are known to me. I do not find it in A., S., E., Ar., X., Pl., Arist., Men., or the Orators (relying on the standard indexes). D. xviii 292, although it could be translated ‘side’, I take to be ‘class’, ‘category’ (for other examples see LSJ IV. 3) or ‘party’, ‘faction’ (so LSJ, under IV. 1).
In Classical Greek the idea is mostly expressed by an adv. or adv. phrase: e.g. άμφοτέρωθεν, έκατέρωθεν, πανταχ-όθεν, -f¡, πάντη, άπ’ αμφοτέρων, ένθεν καί ένθεν, έκ δεξιάς, έπΐ δεξιά, έξ αριστεράς, έκ του καταντικρύ. Note esp. είς τά (έκ του) επί θάτερα, ‘on the other side’, which can be used with gen. following (e.g. Th. vii 84). A noun seems to be rarely used: πλευρά and πλευρόν are found thus occasionally, τά πλάγια in Hdt. iv 49.
11 The same phrase in PPetr. iii 42 F(b). 1 = (c). 5 (iii B.C.); Mayser, translates ‘auf beiden Seiten’, Grammatik der griechischen Papyri aus der Ptolemäerzeit, Vol. 2 2, p. 384.Google Scholar
12 Cf. LSJ s.v. δρόμος II. 3, and Dittenberger, ad loc.
13 See e.g. PHib. 200. 5 (iii B.C.), P Mich. 283. 11, 306. 3, 5, 326. 13 (all i A.D.), P Merton 122. ι (ii A.D.). The sense of ‘side’ has of course been recognized here by the editors.
14 Similarly UPZ 180 b. 8, BGU 996 iii 4, PGrenf. ii 25. 9 (all ii B.C.), PHarris 138. i. 9 (i A.D.). Also, with μέρος in the pl., BGU 1002. 4 (i B.C.), POxy. 2722. 22 (ii A.D.).
15 See e.g. Preisigke, Wôrterbuch der griech. Papyrusurkunden, s.v. μέρος ι. e; Bauer s.v. 1. b. γ; and the editor’s translation of POxy. 2722. 22.
16 We also have, with the same meaning, έπΐ του προς άπηλιώτην μέρους, PPetr. iii 43 (2) recto II. 15 (iii B.c.).
17 The same phrase e.g. in i 42. 8, iii 43. 4, ν 8. ι, χ 10. 2. Other έκ phrases: έκ θατέρου μ. i 11. 8, ν 46. ι έξ άμφοϊν τοΤν μ. i 46• 9, iii 55•
18 Similarly χ io. 10. Other examples of various kinds in: i 20. 7, ν 22. 2 (pl. w. sing, sense), ν 59• 6.
19 I owe this example to Professor A. P. Treweek. The same phrase is found in Prop, 7, 14, 28, 40, Post. 5, and έπΐ τά Ιτερα μέρη in Prop. 12. Eucl. also has μέρη in the sense of ‘direction’: e.g. Def. 17, 23, Prop. 27. Cf. Plb. i 4. 1, 74. 1 (sing.).
20 I am indebted to Mr S. J. Papastavrou for this example. Others may be seen e.g. in Μέγα ”Αγγλο Έλληνικόν Λεξικόν, ed. Θ.Ν. Τσαβέας, (’Αθήναι [1968]), s.v. ‘side’. Ljungvik, op. cit., p. 93, notes κατά μέρος, ‘aside’.
21 Ljungvik, loc. cit. παράμερος (-α) is clearly a direct descendant of the use seen in Ev. Par. 9. 37 ό λίθος … άπεχώρησε παρά μέρος and PGM 13. 438 θΰσας τόν άλέκτορα βάλε παρά μέρος. (Similarly Ljungvik.)
22 See OED s.v., A III. 14. Curiously, the beginnings of the reverse development can be seen in Eng. side : see OED s.v., III. 15.