The relation of δεξιά to δέκ-α and _dextra_, δέκ-α, _decem_, δεκ-σιός, _decster_, illustrates the same idea. Grimm, indeed, says, “In counting with the fingers, one naturally begins with the left hand, and so goes on to the right. This may explain why, in different languages, the words for _the left_ refer to the root of _five_, those for _the right_ to the root of _ten_.” Hence also the derivation of finger, through the Gothic and Old High German, from the stem for “five” and “left”; while the Greek and Latin, δάκτυλος and _digitus_, are directly traceable to δέκα and _decem_. The connection between ἀριστερά and _sinistra_ is also traced with little difficulty: the sibilant of the latter being ascribed to an initial digamma, assumed in the archaic form of the parent vocabulary. Nor is the relationship of δεξιά with _digitus_ a far-fetched one. As the antique custom was to hand the wine from right to left, so it may be presumed that the ancients commenced counting with the left hand, in the use of that primitive abacus, finishing with the dexter or right hand at the tenth digit, and so completing the decimal numeration. The inferior relation of the left to the right hand was also indicated in the use of the former for lower, and the latter for higher numbers beyond ten. In reckoning with their fingers, both Greeks and Romans counted on the left hand as far as a hundred, then on the right hand to two hundred, and so on alternately: the even numbers being always reckoned on the right hand. The poet Juvenal refers to this in his tenth Satire, where, in dwelling on the attributes of age, he speaks of the centenarian, “who counts his years on his right hand”-- Felix nimirum, qui tot per secula mortem Distulit, atque suos jam dextra computat annos, Quique novum toties mustum bibit. A curious allusion, by Tacitus, in the first book of his _History_, serves to show that the German barbarians beyond the Alps no less clearly recognised the significance of the right hand as that which was preferred, and accepted as the more honourable member. The Lingones, a Belgian tribe, had sent presents to the legions, as he narrates: and in accordance with ancient usage gave as the symbolical emblem of friendship two right hands clasped together. “Miserat civitas Lingonum vetere instituto dona legionibus, dextras, hospitii insigne.” The dextræ are represented on a silver quinarius of Julius Cæsar, thus described in Ackerman’s _Catalogue of rare and unedited Roman Coins_, “PAX. S. C. Female head. _Rev._ L. AEMILIVS. BVCA. IIII. VIR. Two hands joined.”[6] [6] Ackerman, i. 106.