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Old & New Testament Greek Lexical Dictionary Greek Lexicon
Strong's #4387 - πρότερος
- Thayer
- Strong
- Mounce
- before, prior
- of time, previous, former
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- Parsing
πρότερος and πρῶτος,
Comp. and Sup. formed from πρό, opp. ὕστερος, ὕστατος . Comp. πρότερος, α, ον, I of Place, before, in front, π. πόδες the fore -feet, Od. 19.228; π. ἵπποι horses in front, B. 5.43: — but mostly, II of Time, former, earlier, ἄνδρες Il. 21.405; ἄνθρωποι 5.637, 23.332; οἱ π . men of former times, 4.308 (rarely without Art., A. Ag. 1338 (anap.), etc.); οὗτος δὲ προτέρης γενεῆς π. τ' ἀνθρώπων Il. 23.790: also, older, opp. ὁπλότερος, 2.707, etc.; γενεῇ π . 15.182; but παῖδες π . children by the first or a former marriage, Od. 15.22; παῖδες ἐκ τῆς π. γυναικός Hdt. 7.2; τῇ προτέρῃ (sc. ἡμέρᾳ ) on the day before, Od. 16.50; ἠοῖ τῇ π . Il. 13.794 (in Prose more freq. τῇ προτεραίᾳ, cf. προτεραῖος ); τοῦ π. ἐνιαυτοῦ the year before, IG 12.352.11; τοῖς π. Παναθηναίοις the preceding P., ib.57.8; τὰ π . what has preceded, Plot. 3.2.8: — freq. used predicatively, sts. where we should expect the Adv. (which is never used by Hom. ), ὅ με π. κάκ' ἔοργε Il. 3.351, cf. 16.569, Hes. Op. 708, etc.; σπονδὰς οὐ λύσετε πρότεροι Th. 1.123; οἱ π. ἐπιόντες ibid.; τοῖς π. μετὰ Κύρου ἀναβᾶσι X. An. 1.4.12, cf. IG 22.1.7; εἰ μὴ π. ἑωράκη αὐτὸν ἢ ἐκεῖνος ἐμέ Pl. R. 336d, cf. 432c, etc.; ὅτι εἴη π. ὑπὸ ἐκείνων ἠδικημένος PCair.Zçn. 288.9 (iii B.C.) .
2. as regular Comp., c. gen., ἐμέο πρότερος Il. 10.124; π. τούτων Hdt. 1.168, cf. Pl. Phd. 86b, Hp.Ma. 282d; τὰς γυναῖκας μὴ ἀπιέναι προτέρας τῶν ἀνδρῶν IG 12(5).593.19 (Iulis, v B.C. ); τῇ π. ἡμέρᾳ τῆς τροπῆς the day before . ., Arist. Pol. 1316a16; προτέρᾳ εἰδυῶν Ὀκτωμβρίων IG 7.2225.14 (Thisbe, Senatus Consultum, ii B.C. ); τῷ π. ἔτει Παναθηναίων τῶν μεγάλων ib.22.212.27; τῷ π. ἔτει τῆς ἥττης Plb. 2.43.6: folld. by ἤ, τῷ προτέρῳ ἔτεϊ ἢ τὸν κρητῆρα [ἐληΐσαντο ] Hdt. 3.47 . III of Rank, Worth, and generally of Precedence, superior, τῷ γένει, τῇ δυνάμει, Is. 1.17, D. 3.15; π. τινὸς πρός τι superior to him in . ., Pl. La. 183b; π. τι ἄγειν, π. ποιήσασθαι τὰ σὰ πράγματα, Lib. Or. 58.36, 52.1 . after Hom., neut. πρότερον freq. as Adv., before, earlier, Pi. O. 13.31, Hdt. 4.45, IG 12.374.265, etc.; ὀλίγον π . Pl. Prt. 317e: c. gen., π. φήμης A. Th. 866 (anap.); ὀλίγῳ τι π. τούτων Hdt. 8.95; πολλοῖσι ἔτεσι π. τούτων ib. 96; ἐνιαυτῷ π. τῆς ἁλώσεως D. 9.60; also πρὸ τῶν Περσικῶν δέκα ἔτεσι π . Pl. Lg. 642d, cf. Criti. 112a; τούτου π . Paus. 1.1.2: most freq. folld. by ἤ, π. ἢ κατὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν Pl. Sph. 264b; also μὴ π. ἀπαναστῆναι ἢ ἐξέλωσι Hdt. 9.87, cf. 7.54, Antipho 2.1.2, Th. 7.63, etc.: with inf., π. ἢ βασιλεῦσαι Hdt. 7.2, cf. Th. 1.69, etc.: folld. by πρίν, Hdt. 1.82; by πρὶν ἄν, ib. 140; by πρὶν ἤ with vb. in Indic., Id. 6.45, 8.8, or Subj., 7.8 . β (v.l. πρὶν ἂν ἢ ), 9.93; also οὐ π. εἰ μὴ . . Plu. Lys. 10, etc.; οὐ π. ἕως . ., or ἕως ἂν . ., Lys. 12.71, Ath. 14.640c; μὴ π., ἀλλ' ὅταν . . Plb. 9.13.3: also used with the Art., τὸ π . Pl. R. 522a, X. An. 4.4.14, etc. ( τὸ π ., also, for the first time, Ep. Galatians 4:13 ): c. gen., τὸ π. τῶν ἀνδρῶν τούτων Hdt. 2.144: the Adv. is freq. put between Art. and Subst., ὁ π. βασιλεύς Id. 1.84; τὰ π. ἀδικήματα Id. 6.87; αἱ π. ἁμαρτίαι Ar. Eq. 1355, etc. Sup. πρῶτος, η, ον, Dor. πρᾶτος (q.v.):
I as Adj.,
1 of Place, foremost, πρώτοισιν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι μιγέντα Od. 18.379; ἐν πρώτοις, μετὰ πρώτοισι alone, Il. 19.424, 11.64; πρώτῃ ἐν ὑσμίνῃ, ἐνὶ πρώτῳ ὁμάδῳ, 15.340, 17.380; τῆς πρώτης τάττειν (sc. τάξεως ) Isoc. 12.180, cf. Lys. 16.15, etc.; ἐν π. ῥυμῷ at the front or end of the pole, Il. 6.40, 16.371; πρώτῃσι θύρῃσιν at the outermost doors, 22.66; π. ξύλον the front bench, Ar. Ach. 25, Poll. 4.121, etc.; οἱ π. πόδες, like πρόσθιοι, Id. 1.193 .
2. of Time, στάντα πρὸς π. ἕω looking towards first dawn, S. OC 477; περὶ π. νύκτα Poll. 1.70 .
3. of Order, serving as ordinal to εἷς, ἄεθλα θῆκε . . τῷ πρώτῳ· ἀτὰρ αὖ τῷ δευτέρῳ . ., αὐτὰρ τῷ τριτάτῳ . ., κτλ ., Il. 23.265, cf. 6.179; opp. ὕστατος, 2.281, 5.703, etc.; opp. τελευταῖος, A. Ag. 314; opp. τανύστατος, Od. 9.449; πρῶτοι πάντων ἀνθρώπων Hdt. 2.2; τὰ π. τῶν ὀνομάτων Pl. Cra. 421d; τῇ π. τῶν ἡμερέων Hdt. 7.168, etc.; π. ἄξων IG 12.115.10; ἐπὶ τοῦ π. [ἱερείου ] first-offered, X. An. 4.3.9; ἐν τοῖς π. λόγοις in the earlier books, Arist. Ph. 263a11, al.; ἐν πρώτοις among the first, Is. 7.40; hence, above all, especially, Hdt. 8.69, Pl. R. 522c; in Att., ἐν τοῖς πρῶτοι (v. ὁ, ἡ, τό A. VIII. 6): — freq. used predicatively of being the first to do something, Νέστωρ πρῶτος κτύπον ἄϊε Il. 10.532; πρῶτος ἀνατέλλει Eratosth. Cal. 42; εἴθε π. σοι ἐνέτυχον Luc. Tyr. 21 . Philos., first in order of existence, primary, αἱ π. οὐσίαι Arist. Cat. 2b26, cf. Metaph. 1032b2; π. ὕλη, π. φιλοσοφία, ib. 1015a7, 1061b19; primitive, simple, οἰκία π., ἡ π. πόλις, Id. Pol. 1252b10, 1291a17; ἡ π. κοινωνία ib. 1257a19; ἡ π. ὀλιγαρχία ib. 1293a14; ὁ π. συλλογισμός normal, typical, Id. Rh. 1357a17; τὰ π. σώματα, μόρια,= τὰ ὁμοιομερῆ, Gal. 5.673,674; πρῶτα κατὰ φύσιν, e.g. health, perception, Stoic. 3.34; τὰ π. πάθη ib.92; αἱ π. ἀρεταί ib.64. Math., πρῶτοι ἀριθμοί prime numbers, Euc. 7 Def. 11,12; but also, first numbers (= 1 to 100,000,000) in the notation of Archim., Aren. 3.2 . πρῶτος is sts. used where we should expect πρότερος, Αἰνείας δὲ πρῶτος ἀκόντισεν Il. 13.502, cf. 18.92: in late Greek folld. by gen., πρῶτός μου ἦν Ev.John 1:15; John 1:30; cf. John 15:18; οἱ πρῶτοί μου ταῦτα ἀνιχνεύσαντες Ael. NA 8.12; πρώτη εὕρηται ἡ περὶ τοὺς πόδας κίνησις τῆς διὰ τῶν χειρῶν Ath. 14.630c; γεννήτορα πρῶτον μητέρος εἰς ἀΐδην πέμψει Man. 1.329, 4.404; ἀλόχου πρῶτος before his wife, IG 12(5).590.5 (vi (?) A.D. ).
4. of Rank or Dignity, μετὰ πρώτοισιν among the first men of the state, Od. 6.60, etc.; νομίσαντες πρῶτοι ἂν εἶναι Th. 6.28; διαβάλλειν τοὺς π . X. An. 2.6.26, cf. Arist. Pol. 1266a18; αἱ π. πόλεις Th. 2.8; ὁ π. ἄρχων IG 12(3).481.10 ( Thera ), CIG 2837 ( Aphrodisias ); ὁ π. τῆς πόλεως, as a title, IG 12(5).292.2 ( Paros ); ὁ π. τῆς νήσου Acts 28:7; τῶν π. φίλων, title at the Ptolemaic court, PTeb. 31.15 (ii B.C.), etc.; τῶν π ., as military title, PHib. 1.110.72 (iii B.C.), PPetr. 3p.23 (iii B.C.), PTeb. 815 Fr. 4.23,al. (iii B.C.): c. gen., ἐν πρώτοισι Μυκηναίων Il. 15.643; οἱ π. στρατοῦ S. Ph. 1305, cf. E. Hec. 304, etc.: c. dat. modi, ἀρετῇ π., οἱ π. καὶ χρήμασι καὶ γένει, πλούτῳ π. τῶν Ἑλλήνων, etc., S. Ph. 1425, Th. 3.65, Isoc. 16.31, etc.; π. ἐν συμφοραῖς βίου S. OT 33 .
5. of Degree, first, highest, μοῖρα Id. OC 145 (anap.), etc.
II as Subst. in neut. pl. πρῶτα, τά, 1 (sc. ἆθλα ), first prize, τὰ π. λαβών Il. 23.275; τὰ π. δόρει κρατύνων S. OC 1313; ἔχειν πρῶτα κυναγεσίας AP 6.118 (Antip.); τὰ π. φέρεσθαι D.C. 42.57, etc.
2. first part, beginning, τῆς Ἰλιάδος τὰ π . Pl. R. 392e; ἐν τοῖς π . Id. Smp. 221d; τὸ π. τοῦ ᾄσματος Id. Prt. 343c .
3. first, highest, in degree, τὰ π. τᾶς λιμῶ ( Dor. ) the extremities of famine, Ar. Ach. 743 (nisi leg. ἄπρατα ) ; ἐχέτωσαν τὰ π. τῆς εὐδαιμονίας Luc. Cont. 10; ἐς τὰ π. τιμᾶσθαι Th. 3.39, cf. 56; φρενῶν ἐς τὰ ἐμεωυτοῦ π. οὔκω ἀνήκω I have not yet come to the highest development of my judgment, Hdt. 7.13, cf. D.C. 38.22; of persons, ἐὼν τῶν Ἐρετριέων τὰ π . Hdt. 6.100; Λάμπων . . Αἰγινητέων [ἐὼν] τὰ π . Id. 9.78, cf. E. Med. 917; ἐστὶν τὰ π. τῆς ἐκεῖ μοχθηρίας (of a person) Ar. Ra. 421 .
4. Philos., primary things, elements, Emp. 38.1, Arist. GC 335a29; τὰ π. αἴτια Id. Mete. 338a20; also τὸ π. ἐνυπάρχον ἑκάστῳ Id. Ph. 193a10 .
5. in Logic, the first undemonstrable propositions, on which all future conclusions rest, Id. Top. 100b18; τὰ π. ἀναπόδεικτα Id. APo. 71b26 .
III in Adverbial phrases,
1 τὴν πρώτην (sc. ὥραν, ὁδόν ) first, for the present, just now, Hdt. 3.134, Ar. Th. 662, D. 3.2, Arist. Metaph. 1038a35, etc.; τὴν πρώτην εἶναι Hdt. 1.153 .
2. with Preps., ἀπὸ πρώτης (sc. ἀρχῆς ) Antipho 5.56, Th. 1.77; ἀπὸ τῆς π. εὐθύς Luc. Hist.Conscr. 1; ἐκ π . Babr. 45.14; κατὰ πρώτας Pl. Plt. 292b, D.C. 52.19; κατὰ τὴν π. εὐθύς Id. 62.3; παρὰ τὴν π . the first time, opp. ἐπὶ τῆς δευτέρας, Philostr. VA 1.22 .
3. freq. as Adv. in neut. sg. and pl., πρῶτον, πρῶτα, first, in the first place, πρῶτόν τε καὶ ὕστατον (vulg. ὕστερον ) Hes. Th. 34; π. μὲν . ., δεύτερον αὖ . ., τὸ τρίτον αὖ . . Il. 6.179; τί π. τοι ἔπειτα, τί δ' ὑστάτιον καταλέξω; Od. 9.14; Κύπριδα μὲν πρῶτα . ., αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ' . . Il. 5.458; οὐρῆας μὲν π. ἐπῴχετο . ., αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα . . 1.50; π. μὲν . ., ἔπειτα δὲ . . S. OC 632, X. Cyr. 2.1.2, 23, An. 5.6.7 - 8, Hier. 11.8, etc.; π. μὲν . ., ἔπειτα . . Pl. Phd. 89a, etc.; π. μὲν . ., ἔπειτα δεύτερον . ., τρίτον δὲ . . Aeschin. 1.7; π. μὲν . ., εἶτα . . Pl. Phlb. 15b; π. μὲν . ., εἶτα δὲ . . X. An. 1.2.16; π. μὲν . ., εἶτα . ., ἔτι δὲ . . Id. Mem. 1.2.1; π. μὲν . ., . . δὲ αὖ . . Pl. Lg. 935a; π. μὲν . ., ἔτι δὲ . . Lys. 4.10, etc.; π. μὲν . ., ἔτι τοίνυν . . D. 44.57; freq. answered only by δέ, Id. 9.48, etc.; sts. the answering clause must be supplied, A. Ag. 810, D. 7.7, etc.: also πρῶτον μὲν . . δεύτερον μήν . . Pl. Phlb. 66a: also πρῶτα μὲν . ., ἔπειτα . . S. Tr. 616, Ar. Pl. 728; πρῶτα μὲν . ., ἔπειτα . ., εἶτα . . E. Med. 548; πρῶτα μὲν . ., . . δὲ . . A. Pr. 447; πρῶτα μὲν . ., ἔπειτα δὲ . . X HG 7.1.7, cf. S. Ph. 919; ἐπεί σε πρῶτα κιχάνω since my first meeting is with you, Od. 13.228, cf. 7.53, Il. 8.274: also τὸ πρῶτον, first, in the first place, at the beginning, ὡς τὸ π. ὑπέστην καὶ κατένευσα 4.267; οὕνεκά σ' οὐ τὸ π., ἐπεὶ ἴδον, ὧδ' ἀγάπησα Od. 23.214 . cf. Il. 3.443, 6.345, Pi. P. 9.41, N. 3.49; τὸ μὲν οὖν π . Pl. Prt. 333d, etc.; τὸ π . . ., μετὰ ταῦτα . . 1.12: also τὰ π ., Il. 1.6, Od. 1.257, etc.; πόντῳ μὲν τὰ π . . ., αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα . . Il. 4.424; τὰ π. μὲν . ., ὡς δὲ . . A. Pers. 412; τὰ π . . ., τέλος δὲ . . S. Fr. 149.5, cf. 966 . too early, before the time, ἦ τ' ἄρα καὶ σοὶ πρῶτα (v.l. for πρωΐ ) παραστήσεσθαι ἔμελλε Μοῖρ' ὀλοή Od. 24.28 . = πρότερον, before, ἢν . . πρῶτον ἀπόλωμαι κακῶς Ar. Ec. 1079; π. οὐδ' ὑφ' ἑνὸς . . κρατηθέντες X. HG 5.4.1; θάλασσα π. ἦν ἢ γενέσθαι γῆν v.l. in Heraclit. 31; λόγῳ π. ἢ τοῖς ἔργοις Arist. Rh.Al. 1420b28; οὐ π. αὐτὴν ἀπέκτειναν πρὶν ἢ ἀπεκύησεν Ael. VH 5.18; π. συμμελετᾶν ἢ μελετᾶν μαθέτω AP 12.206 ( Strat. ). first, for the first time, οὐ . . νῦν πρῶτα ποδώκεος ἄντ' Ἀχιλῆος στήσομαι Il. 20.89; οὐ νῦν πρῶτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλαι S. Ph. 966; ἐνταῦθα πρῶτον ἔφαγον X. An. 2.3.16 . πρῶτον, πρῶτα are used after the relat. Pron. and after relat.Advbs., like Engl. once (= at all ), οὐδ' ἐνοσίχθων λήθετ' ἀπειλάων, τὰς . . Ὀδυσῆϊ π. ἐπηπείλησε Od. 13.127, cf. 3.320, 10.328, 13.133, Il. 1.319, 19.136; μοῖραν δ' οὔ τινά φημι πεφυγμένον ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν . . ἐπὴν τὰ π. γένηται when once he is born, 6.489, cf. Od. 3.183, 4.13, 414; οὔτε . . Λυκίους ἐδύναντο τείχεος ἂψ ὤσασθαι, ἐπεὶ τὰ π. πέλασθεν Il. 12.420, cf. Od. 11.106, 221; also ἐπεὶ τὸ (or τὰ ) π . now that . ., ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ οὖν τὸ π. ἀνέκραγον, οὐκ ἐπικεύσω now that I have spoken up, 14.467; τὸ μὲν οὔ ποτε φύλλα καὶ ὄζους φύσει, ἐπεὶ δὴ πρῶτα τομὴν ἐν ὄρεσσι λέλοιπε Il. 1.235, cf. 276, 19.9: c. part., τῷ ῥ' Αἴας τὸ π. ἐφεζόμενος μέγ' ἀάσθη (the rock) on which once seated blasphemed, Od. 4.509: the sense as soon as is never necessary in Hom., but is possible in Od. 4.414,
πρότερος, πρότερα, πρότερον (comparitive of πρό) (from Homer down), before, prior; of time, former: ἡ πρότερα ἀναστροφή, Ephesians 4:22. Neuter adverbially, before (something else is or was done): John 7:51 R G; 2 Corinthians 1:15; opposed to ἔπειτα, Hebrews 7:27; before, i. e. aforetime, in time past: John 7:50 (L Tr WH); Hebrews 4:6; and R G in 1 Timothy 1:13; also τό πρότερον (contrasting rite past with the present (cf. πάλαι, 1 at the end)), John 6:62; John 9:8, and L T Tr WH in 1 Timothy 1:13 (1 Macc. 3:46 1 Macc. 5:1 1 Macc. 11:34, 39; Deuteronomy 2:12; Joshua 11:10; Herodotus 7, 75; Xenophon, Plato); equivalent to our the first time, Galatians 4:13 (on which cf. Meyer); it is placed between the article and the noun, as αἱ πρότερον ἡμέραι, the former days, Hebrews 10:32; αἱ πρότερον ἐπιθυμίαι, the lusts which you formerly indulged, 1 Peter 1:14.
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πρότερος , and πρῶτος , compar. and superl. from πρό , οπρ . to ὕστερος , ὕστατος .
A. Comparative,
πρότερος , -α , -ον ,
[in LXX for H6440, H7223, etc.;]
before, of time, place, rank, etc.; in NT always of Time, before, former: Ephesians 4:22. Adverbially, πρότερον , before, aforetime, formerly: John 7:50, 2 Corinthians 1:15, Hebrews 4:6; opp. to ἔπειτα , Hebrews 7:27; τὸ Papyri, John 6:62; John 9:8, Galatians 4:13, 1 Timothy 1:13; αἱ Papyri ἡμέραι , Hebrews 10:32; αί Papyri αἱ Papyri ἐπιθυμίαι , 1 Peter 1:14.†
B. Superlative.,
πρῶτος , -η , -ον ,
[in LXX chiefly for H7223, also for H259, etc.;]
first,
1. of Time or Place;
(a) absol., as subst., ὁ Papyri, Luke 14:18, John 19:32, 1 Corinthians 14:30; ὁ Papyri καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος , Revelation 1:17; Revelation 2:8; Revelation 22:13; neut., τὸ Papyri, opp. to τ . δεύτερον , Hebrews 10:9; τὰ Papyri, opp. to τ . ἔσχατα , Matthew 12:45, Luke 11:26, 2 Peter 2:20; anarth., Matthew 10:2; pl., Matthew 19:30, Mark 10:31, Luke 13:30; ἐν πρώτοις (EV, first of all ), 1 Corinthians 15:3;
(b) as adj.: πρώτῃ (sc. ἡμέρᾳ ) σαββάτου , Mark 16:9; φυλακή , ορρ . to δευτέρα , Acts 12:10; equiv. to adv. in English, John 8:7; John 20:4; John 20:8, Acts 27:43, Romans 10:19, 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 John 4:19; = πρότερος (v. infr.; cf. M, Pr.. 79; Bl., § 11, 5; Thackeray, Go., 183 f.): c. gen., Papyri μου ἦν (my chief: Abbott, Jg., 509 ff.; but cf. M, Pr., 245), John 1:15; John 1:30; c. art., Mark 14:12, Acts 1:1, al.; seq. ὁ δεύτερος , etc., Matthew 22:25, Mark 12:20, al.
2. Of Rank or Dignity, chief, principal: Matthew 20:27; Matthew 22:38, Mark 9:35, Ephesians 6:2, al.; c. gen., Mark 12:28-29, al.; πόλις (Field, Notes, 124), Acts 16:12; c. art., Luke 15:22; Luke 19:47, Acts 13:50, al.
3. Neut., πρῶτον , as adv., first, at the first;
(a) of Time: Matthew 8:21, Mark 4:28, al.; τὸ Papyri, John 10:40, al.;
(b) of Order: Romans 3:2, 1 Corinthians 11:18, al.
Copyright © 1922 by G. Abbott-Smith, D.D., D.C.L.. T & T Clarke, London.
For the ordinary meaning ";word"; in the NT, cf. P Giss I. 40ii. 7 (A.D. 215) ἐκ τῶν ῥη [μά ]των το [ῦ ] προτέρου διατάγματος, P Amh II. 142.8 (iv/A.D.) ἀπρεπῆ ῥήματα, P Flor III. 309.4 (iv/A.D.) αἰσχρ [ο ]ῖς ῥήμασι, and Syll 809 (= .3 1175).18 (iv/iii B.C.) ῥῆμα μοχθηρὸν ἢ πονηρὸν φθένγεσθαι (contrasted with .20 κακόν τι ποῆσαι).
On the Hebraistic use = res in the LXX and in the more Hebraic parts of Luke’s writings (Luke 1:37; Luke 2:15, al.), see Thackeray Gr. i. p. 41. A somewhat similar use of λόγος has classical authority, e.g. Plato Phil. 33 C.
Copyright © 1914, 1929, 1930 by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan. Hodder and Stoughton, London.
Derivative Copyright © 2015 by Allan Loder.
