を before a noun?


I'm currently learning at the JLPT N3 level, so I'm not sure if this is
something I might haven't learned about. I never knew we could put を like
this.

This is a sentence from an e-dict so it should be correct.

> 当たるを幸い、彼は敵をなぎ倒して  
>  He struck down every foe that came his way

当たるを幸い is the part which confused me. Normally it would be [[object を verb]].




Here [当たるを幸い is an idiomatic set
phrase](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/4699/meaning/m0u/), and it's one of
the [fixed expressions that use classic Japanese
grammar](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/42718/5010). It means
(手に)当たるのを幸いに in modern Japanese, and it describes how "vigorously and
indiscriminately" he struck down enemies.

  * 当たる is actually 当たるの/当たること. In archaic Japanese grammar, the attributive form of a verb was used to nominalize a verb.
  * The ～を～に pattern forms an adverbial phrase. See: [Meaning and transitivity of ゴミ袋を手に立ち上がる](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/20854/5010)

So 当たるのを幸いに literally means "with hits/encounters as lucky things", or
"whenever someone came his way, he thought it's lucky and..."




Here [当たるを幸い is an idiomatic set
phrase](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/4699/meaning/m0u/), and it's one of
the [fixed expressions that use classic Japanese
grammar](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/42718/5010). It means
(手に)当たるのを幸いに in modern Japanese, and it describes how "vigorously and
indiscriminately" he struck down enemies.

  * 当たる is actually 当たるの/当たること. In archaic Japanese grammar, the attributive form of a verb was used to nominalize a verb.
  * The ～を～に pattern forms an adverbial phrase. See: [Meaning and transitivity of ゴミ袋を手に立ち上がる](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/20854/5010)

So 当たるのを幸いに literally means "with hits/encounters as lucky things", or
"whenever someone came his way, he thought it's lucky and..."

