PART FIRSTWORDS AND FORMS

THIRD DECLENSION (CONSONANT AND i-STEMS)

Nouns of the Third Declension end in a, e, , , y, c, l, n, r, s, t, x.

Stems of the Third Declension are classed as follows:

I. Consonant Stems a. Mute stems. b. Liquid and Nasal stems.

II. I-Stems a. Pure i-stems. b. Mixed i-stems.

The Nominative is always derived from the stem.

The variety in form in the Nominative is due to simple modi fications of the stem, of which the most important are

1. Combination of final consonants: as of c (or g) and s to form x; dux, ducis, stem duc-; rx, rgis, stem rg-.

2. Omission of a final consonant: as of a final nasal; le, lenis, stem len-; rti, rtinis, stem rtin-.

3. Omission of a final vowel: as of final i; calcar, calcris, stem calcri-.

4. Change of vowel in the final syllable : as of a to e; prnceps (for -caps), prncipis, stem prncip- (for -cap-). [p. 25]

CONSONANT STEMS

Mute Stems

Masculine and Feminine Nouns with mute stems form the Nominative by adding s to the stem.

A labial (p) is retained before s: as, prncep-s.

A lingual (t, d) is dropped before s: as, mles (stem mlit-), csts (stem cstd-).

A palatal (c, g) unites with s to form x: as, dux (for duc-s), rx (for rg-s).

In dissyllabic stems the final syllable often shows e in the nominative and i in the stem: as, prnceps, stem prncip- (for -cap-).

Nouns of this class are declined as follows:

prnceps, C., chief	rdx, F., root	mles, M., soldier
STEM prncip-	STEM rdc-	STEM mlit-

		SINGULAR
				CASE-ENDINGS
NOM.	prnceps	rdx	mles	-s
GEN.	prncipis	rdcis	mlitis	-is
DAT.	prncip	rdc	mlit	-
ACC.	prncipem	rdcem	mlitem	-em
ABL.	prncipe	rdce	mlite	-e
		PLURAL
NOM.	prncips	rdcs	mlits	-s
GEN.	prncipum	rdcum	mlitum	-um
DAT.	prncipibus	rdcibus	mlitibus	-ibus
ACC.	prncips	rdcs	mlits	-s
ABL.	prncipibus	rdcibus	mlitibus	-ibus

csts, C., guard	dux, C., leader	rx, M., king
STEM cstd-	STEM duc-	STEM rg-

		SINGULAR
				CASE-ENDINGS
NOM.	csts	dux	rx	-s
GEN.	cstdis	ducis	rgis	-is
DAT.	cstd	duc	rg	-
ACC.	cstdem	ducem	rgem	-em
ABL.	cstde	duce	rge	-e

[p. 26]

		PLURAL
NOM.	cstds	ducs	rgs	-s
GEN.	cstdum	ducum	rgum	-um
DAT.	cstdibus	ducibus	rgibus	-ibus
ACC.	cstds	ducs	rgs	-s
ABL.	cstdibus	ducibus	rgibus	-ibus

In like manner are declined
aris, -etis (M.), ram; comes, -itis (c.), companion; lapis, -idis (M.), stone; idex, -icis (M.), judge; cornx, -cis (F.), raven, and many other nouns.

Most mute stems are Masculine or Feminine. Those that are neuter have for the Nominative the simple stem. But,

Lingual Stems (t, d) ending in two consonants drop the final mute: as, cor (stem cord-), lac (stem lact-). So also stems in t- from the Greek: as, poma (stem pomat-).

The stem capit- shows u in the nominative (caput for capot).

Nouns of this class are declined as follows:

cor, N., heart	caput, N., head	poma, N., poem
STEM cord-	STEM capit-	STEM pomat-

		SINGULAR
				CASE-ENDINGS
NOM.	cor	caput	poma	-----
GEN.	cordis	capitis	pomatis	-is
DAT.	cord	capit	pomat	-
ACC.	cor	caput	poma	-----
ABL.	corde	capite	pomate	-e
		PLURAL
NOM.	corda	capita	pomata	-a
GEN.	-----	capitum	pomatum	-um
DAT.	cordibus	capitibus	pomatibus	-ibus
ACC.	corda	capita	pomata	-a
ABL.	cordibus	capitibus	pomatibus	-ibus

The following irregularities require notice:

Greek neuters with nominative singular in -a (as poma) frequently end in -s in the dative and ablative plural, and rarely in -rum in the genitive plural; as, pomats (for pomatibus), pomatrum (for pomatum).

A number of monosyllabic nouns with mute stems want the genitive plural (like cor). See 103. g. 2.

Liquid and Nasal Stems (l, n, r)

In Masculine and Feminine nouns with liquid and nasal stems the Nominative is the same as the stem.

Exceptions are the following:

1. Stems in n- drop n in the nominative: as in legi, stem legin-.

2. Stems in din- and gin- drop n and keep an original in the nominative: as in virg, stem virgin-. ²⁶

3. Stems in in- (not din- or gin-) retain n and have e instead of i in the nominative: as in cornicen, stem cornicin-. ²⁷

4. Stems in tr- have -ter in the nominative: as, pater, stem patr-. ²⁸

Nouns of this class are declined as follows:

cnsul, M., consul	le, M., lion	virg, F., maiden	pater, M., father
STEM cnsul-	STEM len-	STEM virgin-	STEM patr-

			SINGULAR
					CASE-ENDINGS
NOM.	cnsul	le	virg	pater	-----
GEN.	cnsulis	lenis	virginis	patris	-is
DAT.	cnsul	len	virgin	patr	-
ACC.	cnsulem	lenem	virginem	patrem	-em
ABL.	cnsule	lene	virgine	patre	-e
			PLURAL
NOM.	cnsuls	lens	virgins	patrs	-s
GEN.	cnsulum	lenum	virginum	patrum	-um
DAT.	cnsulibus	lenibus	virginibus	patribus	-ibus
ACC.	cnsuls	lens	virgins	patrs	-s
ABL.	cnsulibus	lenibus	virginibus	patribus	-ibus

NOTE 1.Stems in ll-, rr- (N.) lose one of their liquids in the nominative: as, far, farris; mel, mellis.

NOTE 2.A few masculine and feminine stems have a nominative in -s as well as in -r: as, hons or honor, arbs or arbor.

NOTE 3.Canis, dog, and iuvenis, youth, have -is in the nominative. [p. 28]

In Neuter nouns with liquid or nasal stems the Nominative is the same as the stem.

Exceptions: 1. Stems in in- have e instead of i in the nominative: as in nmen, stem nmin-.

2. Most stems in er- and or- have -us in the nominative: as, genus, stem gener-. ²⁹

Nouns of this class are declined as follows:

nomen, N., name	genus, N., race	corpus, N., body	aequor, N., sea
STEM nomin-	STEM gener-	STEM corpor-	STEM aequor-

		SINGULAR
NOM.	nmen	genus	corpus	aequor
GEN.	nminis	generis	corporis	aequoris
DAT.	nmin	gener	corpor	aequor
ACC.	nmen	genus	corpus	aequor
ABL.	nmine	genere	corpore	aequore
		PLURAL
NOM.	nmina	genera	corpora	aequora
GEN.	nminum	generum	corporum	aequorum
DAT.	nminibus	generibus	corporibus	aequoribus
ACC.	nmina	genera	corpora	aequora
ABL.	nminibus	generibus	corporibus	aequoribus

So also are declined opus, -eris, work; pgnus, -eris or -oris, pledge, etc.

NOTE.The following real or apparent liquid and nasal stems have the genitive plural in -ium, and are to be classed with the i-stems: imber, linter, ter, venter; gls, ms, ms, [rn]; also vrs (plural of vs: see 79).

i-STEMS

Nouns of this class include

1. Pure i-Stems:

Masculine and Feminine parisyllabic ³⁰ nouns in -is and four in -er.

Neuters in -e, -al, and -ar.

2. Mixed i-Stems, declined in the singular like consonant stems, the plural like i-stems.

Pure i-Stems

Masculine and Feminine parisyllabic nouns in -is form the Nominative singular by adding s to the stem.

Four stems in bri- and tri- do not add s to form the nominative, but drop i and insert e before r. These are imber, linter, ter, venter.

Nouns of this class are declined as follows:

sitis, F., thirst	turris, F., tower	gnis, M., fire	imber, M., rain
STEM siti-	STEM turri-	STEM gni-	STEM imbri-

		SINGULAR
NOM.	sitis	turris	gnis	imber
GEN.	sitis	turris	gnis	imbris
DAT	sit	turr	gn	imbr
ACC	sitim	turrim (-em)	gnem	imbrem
ABI	sit	turr (-e)	gn (-e)	imbr (-e)
		PLURAL
NOM.		turrs	gns	imbrs
GEN.		turrium	gnium	imbrium
DAT.		turribus	gnibus	imbribus
ACC		turrs (-s)	gns (-s)	imbrs (-s)
ABL.		turribus	gnibus	imbribus

In Neuters the Nominative is the same as the stem, with final i changed to e: as, mare, stem mari-. But most nouns ³¹ in which the i of the stem is preceded by l or r lose the final vowel and shorten the preceding : as, animl, stem animli-. ³²

Neuters in -e, -al, and -ar have - in the ablative singular, -ium in the genitive plural, and -ia in the nominative and accusative plural: as, animal, animl, -ia, -ium. [p. 30]

Nouns of this class are declined as follows:

sedle, N., seat	animal, N., animal	calcar, N., spur
STEM sedli-	STEM animli-	STEM calcri-

		SINGULAR
				CASE-ENDINGS
NOM.	sedle	animal	calcar	-e or ----
GEN.	sedlis	animlis	calcris	-is
DAT.	sedl	animl	calcr	-
ACC.	sedle	animal	calcar	-e or ----
ABL.	sedl	animl	calcr	-
		PLURAL
NOM.	sedlia	animlia	calcria	-ia
GEN.	sedlium	animlium	calcrium	-ium
DAT.	sedlibus	animlibus	calcribus	-ibus
ACC.	sedlia	animlia	calcria	-ia
ABL.	sedlibus	animlibus	calcribus	-ibus

Mixed i-Stems

Mixed i-stems are either original i-stems that have lost their i-forms in the singular, or consonant stems that have assumed i- forms in the plural.

NOTE.It is sometimes impossible to distinguish between these two classes.

Mixed i-stems have -em in the accusative and -e in the ablative singular, -ium in the genitive ³³ and -s or -s in the accusative plural. They include the following:

1. Nouns in -s, gen. -is. ³⁴

2. Monosyllables in -s or -x preceded by a consonant: as, ars, pns, arx.

3. Polysyllables in -ns or -rs: as, clins, cohors.

4. Nouns in -ts, genitive -ttis (genitive plural usually -um) ³⁵ : as, cvits.

5. Pents, optimts, and nouns denoting birth or abode (patrials) in -s, -s, plural -ts, -ts: as, Arpns, plural Arpnts; Quirs, plural Quirts.

6. The following monosyllables in -s or -x preceded by a vowel: ds, fraus, gls, ls, ms, ms, nix, nox, strix, vs. [p. 31]

Nouns of this class are thus declined:

nbs, F., cloud	urbs, F., city	nox, F., night	clins, M., client	aets, F., age
STEM nb(i)-	STEM urb(i)-	STEM noct(i)-	STEM client(i)-	STEM aett(i)-

			SINGULAR
NOM.	nbs	urbs	nox	clins	aets
GEN.	nbis	urbis	noctis	clientis	aettis
DAT.	nb	urb	noct	client	aett
ACC.	nbem	urbem	noctem	clientem	aettem
ABL.	nbe	urbe	nocte	cliente	aette
			PLURAL
NOM.	nbs	urbs	nocts	clients	aetts
GEN.	nbium	urbium	noctium	clientium 36	aettum 37
DAT.	nbibus	urbibus	noctibus	clientibus	aettibus
ACC.	nbs(-s)	urbs(-s)	nocts(-s)	clients(-s)	aetts(-s)
ABL.	nbibus	urbibus	noctibus	clientibus	aettibus

Summary of i-Stems

The i-declension was confused even to the Romans themselves, nor was it stable at all periods of the language, early Latin having i-forms which afterwards disappeared. There was a tendency in nouns to lose the i-forms, in adjectives to gain them. The nominative plural (-s) ³⁸ was most thoroughly lost, next the accusative singular (-im), next the ablative (-); while the genitive and accusative plural (-ium, -s) were retained in almost all.

I-stems show the i of the stem in the following forms:

They have the genitive plural in -ium (but some monosyllables lack it entirely). For a few exceptions, see 78.

All neuters have the nominative and accusative plural in -ia.

The accusative plural (M. or F.) is regularly -s.

The accusative singular (M. or F.) of a few ends in -im ( 75).

The ablative singular of all neuters, and of many masculines and feminines, ends in - (see 76).

The regular case-ending of the Accusative singular of i- stems (M. or F.) would be -im: as, sitis, sitim (cf. stella, -am; servus, -um); but in most nouns this is changed to -em (following the consonant declension). [p. 32]

The accusative in -im is found exclusively

1. In Greek nouns and in names of rivers.

2. In bris, cucumis, rvis, sitis, tussis, vs.

3. In adverbs in -tim (being accusative of nouns in -tis), as, partim; and in amussim.

The accusative in -im is found sometimes in febris, puppis, restis, turris, secris, smentis, and rarely in many other words.

The regular form of the Ablative singular of i-stems would be -: as, sitis, sit; but in most nouns this is changed to -e.

The ablative in - is found exclusively

1. In nouns having the accusative in -im ( 75); also secris.

2. In the following adjectives used as nouns: aequlis, annlis, aqulis, cnsulris, gentlis, molris, prmiplris, triblis.

3. In neuters in -e, -al, -ar: except baccar, iubar, rte, and sometimes mare.

The ablative in - is found sometimes

1. In avis, clvis, febris, fnis, gnis, ³⁹ imber, lx,nvis, ovis, pelvis, puppis, smentis, strigilis, turris, and occasionally in other words.

2. In the following adjectives used as nouns: affnis, bipennis, canlis, familiris, ntlis, rvlis, sapins, tridns, trirmis, vclis.

NOTE 1.The ablative of fams is always fam ( 105. e). The defective mne has sometimes mn ( 103. b. N.) as ablative.

NOTE 2.Most names of towns in -e (as, Praeneste, Tergeste) and Sracte, a mountain, have the ablative in -e. Caere has Caerte.

NOTE 3.Canis and iuvenis have cane, iuvene

The regular Nominative plural of i-stems is -s, ⁴⁰ but -s is occasionally found. The regular Accusative plural -s is common, but not exclusively used in any word. An old form for both cases is -eis (diphthong).

The following have -um (not -ium) in the genitive plural:

1. Always,canis, iuvenis, ⁴¹ ambgs, mare (once only, otherwise wanting), volucris; regularly, sds, vts.

2. Sometimes,apis, caeds, clds, mnsis, strus, subols.

3. Very rarely,patrials in -s, -tis; -s, -tis; as, Arpns, Arpntum, Samns, Samntum. [p. 33]

Irregular Nouns of the Third Declension

In many nouns the stem is irregularly modified in the nominative or other cases. Some peculiar forms are thus declined:

bs, C.	senex, M.	car, F.	os, N.	vs, F.
ox, cow	old man	flesh	bone	force

		SINGULAR
NOM.	bs	senex	car	os	vs
GEN.	bvis	senis	carnis	ossis	vs (rare)
DAT.	bov	sen	carn	oss	v (rare)
ACC.	bovem	senem	carnem	os	vim
ABL.	bove	sene	carne	osse	v
	cattle	PLURAL			strength
NOM.	bovs	sens	carns	ossa	vrs
GEN.	boum	senum	carnium	ossium	vrium
DAT.	bbus (bbus)	senibus	carnibus	ossibus	vribus
ACC.	bovs	sens	carns	ossa	vrs (-s
ABL.	bbus (bbus)	senibus	carnibus	ossibus	vribus

ss, C.	Iuppiter, M.	nix, F.	iter, N.
swine	Jupiter	snow	march

		SINGULAR
NOM.	ss	Iuppiter 42	nix	iter
GEN.	suis	Iovis	nivis	itineris
DAT.	su	Iov	niv	itiner
ACC.	suem	Iovem	nivem	iter
ABL.	sue	Iove	nive	itinere
		PLURAL
NOM.	sus		nivs	itinera
GEN.	suum		nivium	itinerum
DAT.	sbus (suibus)		nivibus	itineribus
ACC.	sus		nivs	itinera
ABL.	sbus (suibus)		nivibus	itineribus

[p. 34]

Two vowel-stems in -, gr- and s-, which follow the third declension, add s in the nominative, and are inflected like mute stems: grs has also a nominative gruis; ss has both suibus and sbus in the dative and ablative plural, grs has only gruibus.

In the stem bov- (bou-) the diphthong ou becomes in the nominative (bs, bvis).

In nv- (nau-) an i is added (nvis, -is), and it is declined like turris ( 67).

In Iv- (= Ζεύς) the diphthong (ou) becomes in I-piter (for -pter), genitive Ivis, etc.; but the form Iuppiter is preferred.

In iter, itineris (N.), iecur, iecinoris (iecoris) (N.), supellx, supellctilis (F.), the nominative has been formed from a shorter stem; in senex, senis, from a longer; so that these words show a combination of forms from two distinct stems.

In nix, nivis the nominative retains a g from the original stem, the g uniting with s, the nominative ending, to form x. In the other cases the stem assumes the form niv- and it adds i in the genitive plural.

Vs (N.), vsis, keeps s throughout; plural vsa, vsrum. A dative plural vsibus also occurs. There is a rare singular vsum.

The Locative Case

The Locative form for nouns of the third declension ends in the singular in - or -, in the plural in -ibus: as, rr, in the country; Carthgin or Carthgine, at Carthage; Trallibus, at Tralles. ⁴³

Greek Nouns of the Third Declension

Many nouns originally Greekmostly proper names retain Greek forms of inflection. So especially

1. Genitive singular in -os, as, tigridos.

2. Accusative singular in -a, as, aethera.

3. Vocative singular like the stem, as, Pericl, Orpheu, Atl.

4. Nominative plural in -s, as, hrs.

5. Accusative plural in -s, as, hrs. [p. 35]

Some of these forms are seen in the following examples:

hrs, M., hero	lampas, F., torch	basis, F., base	tigris, C., tiger	nis, F., naiad
STEM hr-	STEM lampad-	STEM basi-	STEM tigrid- tigri-	STEM nid-

			SINGULAR
NOM.	hrs	lampas	basis	tigris	nis
GEN.	hris	lampados	bases	tigris(-idos)	nidos
DAT.	hr	lampad	bas	tigr	nid
ACC.	hra	lampada	basin	tigrin(-ida)	nida
ABL.	hre	lampade	bas	tigr(-ide)	nide
			PLURAL
NOM.	hrs	lampads	bass	tigrs	nids
GEN.	hrum	lampadum	basium(-en)	tigrium	nidum
D.,A. 44	hribus	lampadibus	basibus	tigribus	nidibus
ACC.	hrs	lampads	bass((--eis)	tigrs(-ids)	nids

		PROPER NAMES
NOM.	Dd	Simos	Capys
GEN.	Ddnis(Dds)	Simoentis	Capyos
DAT.	Ddn(Dd	Simoent	Capy
ACC.	Ddnem(-)	Simoenta	Capyn
ABL.	Ddne(-)	Simoente	Capy
VOC.	Dd	Simos	Capy
NOM.	Orpheus	Pericls	Paris
GEN.	Orphe(-es)	Periclis(-)	Paridis
DAT.	Orphe(-e)	Pericl(-i)	Parid
ACC.	Orphea(-um)	Periclem(-ea, -n)	Paridem, Parim(-in)
ABL.	Orphe	Pericle	Paride, Par
VOC.	Orpheu	Pericls(-)	Pari

NOTE.The regular Latin forms may be used for most of the above.

Other peculiarities are the following:

Delphnus, - (M.), has also the form delphn, -nis; Salams, -is (F.) has acc. Salamna.

Most stems in d- (nom. -is) often have also the forms of i-stems: as tigris, gen. -dis (-dos) or -is; acc. -dem (-da) or -im (-in); abl. -de or -. But many, including most feminine proper names, have acc. -idem (-ida); abl. -ide,not -im or -. (These stems are irregular also in Greek.) [p. 36]

Stems in on- sometimes retain -n in the nominative: as, Agamemnn (or Agamemn), genitive -nis, accusative -na.

Stems in ont- form the nominative in -n: as, horizn, Xenophn; but a few are occasionally Latinized into n- (nom. -): as, Drac, -nis; Antiph, -nis.

Like Simos are declined stems in ant-, ent-, and a few in nt- (nominative in -s, -s, -s): as, Atls, -antis; Trapezs, -ntis.

Some words fluctuate between different declensions: as Orpheus between the second and the third.

-n is found in the genitive plural in a few Greek titles of books: as, Metamorphsen, of the Metamorphoses (Ovid's well-known poem); Gergicn, of the Georgics (a poem of Virgil).

Gender in the Third Declension

The Gender of nouns of this declension must be learned by practice and from the Lexicon. Many are masculine or feminine by nature or in accordance with the general rules for gender (p. 15). The most important rules for the others, with their principal exceptions, are the following: ⁴⁵

Masculine are nouns in -or, -s, -er, -s (gen. -itis), -ex (gen. -cis): as, color, fls, imber, gurges (gurgitis), vertex (verticis).

Exceptions are the following:

Feminine are arbor; cs, ds; linter.

Neuter are ador, aequor, cor, marmor; s (ris); also os (ossis);

cadver, iter, tber, ber, vr; and names of plants and trees in -er: as, acer, papver.

Feminine are nouns in -, -s, -s, -is, -s, -x, and in -s preceded by a consonant: as, legi, cvits, nbs, avis, virts, arx, urbs. The nouns in - are mostly those in -d and -g, and abstract and collective nouns in -i.

Exceptions are the following:

Masculine are le, lenis; lig,-nis; serm, -nis; also card, harpag marg, rd, turb; and concrete nouns in -i: as, pugi, ni, papili; ⁴⁶

acnacs, aris, cels, lebs, paris, ps; [p. 37]

Nouns in -nis and -guis: as, gnis, sanguis; also axis, caulis, collis, cucumis, nsis, fascis, follis, fstis, lapis, mnsis, orbis, piscis, postis, pulvis, vmis;

ms;

calix, fornix, grex, phoenx, and nouns in -ex (gen. -icis) ( 85);

dns, fns, mns, pns.

NOTE.Some nouns in -is and -ns which are masculine were originally adjectives or participles agreeing with a masculine noun: as, Aprlis (sc. mnsis), M., April; orins (sc. sl), M., the east; annlis (sc. liber), M., the year-book.

Neuter are vs (vsis); crs, is, ps, rs, ts.

Neuter are nouns in -a, -e, -l, -n, -ar, -ur, -s: as, poma, mare, animal, nmen, calcar, rbur, corpus; also lac and caput.

Exceptions are the following:

Masculine are sl, sl, pecten, vultur, lepus.

Feminine is pecus (gen. -udis).