THIRD DECLENSION (CONSONANT AND i-STEMS)
[53] Nouns of the Third Declension end in a, e, , , y, c, l, n, r, s, t, x.
[54] 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.
[55] 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-
|
[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-
|
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.
[p. 27] 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-
|
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-
|
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.
[p. 29]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).