ergā, praep. [syncop. for e-regā, from ex and root rag-, to reach upward, be upright; cf. ergo, v. Corss. Ausspr. 1, 448 sqq.], over against, opposite to (cf.: adversus, versus, contra, e regione, e contrario).
I Lit., of locality (ante- and post-classical and rare): quae med erga aedes habet, i. e. opposite me , Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 55 (al. modo erga): erga regiam, Ap. Dogm. Plat. p. 9, 21.—
II Trop.: aliquem, more rarely aliquid, of feelings and conduct towards a person.
A Of friendly feelings, etc. (so mostly in class. lang.): erga et in hoc differunt: fere enim erga ad affectum refertur, quasi erga illum benignus: in ad simultatem, quasi in illum sum saevus, Charis. p. 208 P.; cf. Prisc. p. 989: ut eodem modo erga amicum affecti simus, quo erga nosmet ipsos ... ut nostra in amicos benevolentia illorum erga nos benevolentiae pariter respondeat, Cic. Lael. 16; cf. id. Fin. 1, 20, 68; Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 47; id. Trin. 3, 1, 18: erga aliquem benevolus, id. Capt. 2, 2, 100; cf. id. Mil. 4, 6, 15; id. Rud. 5, 3, 33; Cic. de Or. 2, 43, 182; 2, 49, 201; Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 49; id. Cist. 1, 1, 111; cf. Cic. Fam. 1, 9: divina bonitas erga homines, id. N. D. 2, 23, 60: perpetua erga populum Romanum fides, Caes. B. G. 5, 44, 4; cf. id. B. C. 1, 84, 3; 2, 17, 2 et saep.: te oro per mei te erga bonitatem patris, Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 48; so, te erga, Ter. Heaut. 265: med erga, Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 56: se erga, Ter. Heaut. 189: amicum erga, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 4; cf. the following.—Relating to things: cum in universam rem publicam, tum etiam erga meam salutem fide ac benevolentia singulari, Cic. Prov. Cons. 1, 1; cf. id. Att. 8, 3, 2; Plin. Pan. 50, 4; Tac. A. 4, 20 al.—
B Of unfriendly feelings, for the usual contra or adversus, against : ne malus item erga me sit, ut illum erga fuit, Plaut. Ps. 4, 3, 4; id. Aul. 4, 10, 62; id. Cas. 3, 4, 27; Ter. Hec. 486; Nep. Alcib. 4, 4: odium, quod erga regem susceperant, id. Dat. 10 fin. ; id. Ham. 4 fin. ; id. Hann. 1 fin. ; Tac. H. 2, 99; 4, 49; id. A. 2, 2; cf. transp.: med erga, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 5; id. Capt. 2, 3, 56; id. Ep. 3, 3, 9.—Relating to things: res secundae valent commutare naturam, et raro quisquam erga bona sua satis cautus est, against his own advantage , Curt. 10, 1, 40.—
III In post-Aug. authors (esp. in Tacitus) in gen. of every kind of mental relation to a person or thing, to , towards , in respect to : anxii erga Sejanum, cujus durior congressus, Tac. A. 4, 74: erga Germanicos exercitus laudes gratesque, id. H. 2, 55 fin. ; id. A. 11, 25 fin. : prisco erga duces honore, id. ib. 3, 74 fin. ; cf. Plin. Pan. 55, 3: suprema erga memoriam filii sui munera, Tac. A. 3, 2; id. H. 1, 20: atrociore semper fama erga dominantium exitus, id. A. 4, 11; Amm. 16, 10; v. Hand Turs. II. pp. 437-440.