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低きに流れる

Cala

後輩
10 Aug 2016
39
1
18
I'm reading a fantasy book and this sentence popped up:

そういう力は意識せずとも水が低きに流れるように流れてしまうので、受ける力のない者がふれれば、傷ついてしまうと信じられていた.

I don't quite understand 低き here. Is this the archaic form of 低い?Cause if it is I've only ever seen those used in front of nouns as in 美しき人 etc and here it's in front of a verb.

In general it seems like that part is saying:

That kind of power, like the pull of water deep down, carries (people) along without your conscious thought so, ...

But I'm unsure of the finer details.
Help please.
 
Yes, 低き is the adnominal form of a classical adjective 低し, which is corresponding to 低い in modern Japanese, as in your example 美しき人(=美しい人). In that sentence, the adnominal form performs as a noun (adnominal form + nominalizer) 低いところ, so the particle に is attached to it.
 
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