Chapter I.— Declension

A . Nouns.

12. A Noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or quality; as, Caesar, Caesar; Rōma, Rome; penna, feather; virtūs, courage.

1. Nouns are either Proper or Common. Proper nouns are permanent names of persons or places; as, Caesar, Rōma. Other nouns are Common: as, penna, virtūs.

2. Nouns are also distinguished as Concrete or Abstract.

a) Concrete nouns are those which designate individual objects; as, mōns, mountain; pēs, foot; diēs, day; mēns, mind.

Under concrete nouns are included, also, collective nouns; as, legiō, legion; comitātus, retinue.

b) Abstract nouns designate qualities; as, cōnstantia, steadfastness; paupertās, poverty.

GENDER OF NOUNS.

13. There are three Genders,—Masculine, Feminine, and Neuter. Gender in Latin is either natural or grammatical.

Natural Gender.

14. The gender of nouns is natural when it is based upon sex. Natural gender is confined entirely to names of persons; and these are—

1. Masculine, if they denote males; as,—

nauta, sailor; agricola, farmer.

2. Feminine, if they denote females; as,—

māter, mother; rēgīna, queen.

Grammatical Gender.

15. Grammatical gender is determined not by sex, but by the general signification of the word, or the ending of its Nominative Singular. By grammatical gender, nouns denoting things or qualities are often Masculine or Feminine, simply by virtue of their signification or the ending of the Nominative Singular. The following are the general principles for determining grammatical gender:—

A. Gender determined by Signification.

1. Names of Rivers, Winds, and Months are Masculine; as,—

Sēquana, Seine; Eurus, east wind; Aprīlis, April.

2. Names of Trees, and such names of Towns and Islands as end in -us, are Feminine; as,—

quercus, oak; Corinthus, Corinth; Rhodus, Rhodes.

Other names of towns and islands follow the gender of their endings (see B, below); as,—

Delphī, n.; Leuctra, n.; Tībur, n.; Carthāgō, f.

3. Indeclinable nouns, also infinitives and phrases, are Neuter; as,—

nihil, nothing; nefās, wrong; amāre, to love.

NOTE.—Exceptions to the above principles sometimes occur; as, Allia (the river), f.

B. Gender determined by Ending of Nominative Singular.

The gender of other nouns is determined by the ending of the Nominative Singular.

NOTE 1.—Common Gender. Certain nouns are sometimes Masculine, sometimes Feminine. Thus, sacerdōs may mean either priest or priestess, and is Masculine or Feminine accordingly. So also cīvis, citizen; parēns, parent; etc. The gender of such nouns is said to be common.

NOTE 2.—Names of animals usually have grammatical gender, according to the ending of the Nominative Singular, but the one form may designate either the male or female; as, ānser, m., goose or gander. So vulpēs, f., fox; aquīla, f., eagle.

NUMBER.

16. The Latin has two Numbers,—the Singular and Plural. The Singular denotes one object, the Plural, more than one.

CASES.

17. There are six Cases in Latin:—

Nominative, Case of Subject;

Genitive, Objective with of, or Possessive;

Dative, Objective with to or for;

Accusative, Case of Direct Object;

Vocative, Case of Address;

Ablative, Objective with by, from, in, with.

1. LOCATIVE. Vestiges of another case, the Locative (denoting place where), occur in names of towns and in a few other words.

2. OBLIQUE CASES. The Genitive, Dative, Accusative, and Ablative are called Oblique Cases.

3. STEM AND CASE-ENDINGS. The different cases are formed by appending certain case-endings to a fundamental part called the Stem. Thus, portam (Accusative Singular) is formed by adding the case-ending -m to the stem porta-. But in most cases the final vowel of the stem has coalesced so closely with the actual case-ending that the latter has become more or less obscured. The apparent case-ending thus resulting is called a termination.

THE FIVE DECLENSIONS.

18. There are five Declensions in Latin, distinguished from each other by the final letter of the Stem, and also by the Termination of the Genitive Singular, as follows:—

DECLENSION. FINAL LETTER OF STEM. GEN. TERMINATION.

First ā -ae

Second ŏ -ī

Third ĭ / Some consonant -īs

Fourth ŭ -ūs

Fifth ē -ēī / -ĕī

Cases alike in Form.

19. 1. The Vocative is regularly like the Nominative, except in the singular of nouns in -us of the Second Declension.

2. The Dative and Ablative Plural are always alike.

3. In Neuters the Accusative and Nominative are always alike, and in the Plural end in -ă.

4. In the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Declensions, the Accusative Plural is regularly like the Nominative.

FIRST DECLENSION.

ā-Stems.

20. Pure Latin nouns of the First Declension regularly end, in the Nominative Singular, in -ă, weakened from -ā, and are of the Feminine Gender. They are declined as follows:—

Porta, gate; stem, portā-.

SINGULAR.

CASES. MEANINGS. TERMINATIONS.

Nom. porta a gate (as subject) -ă

Gen. portae of a gate -ae

Dat. portae to or for a gate -ae

Acc. portam a gate (as object) -am

Voc. porta O gate! -ă

Abl. portā with, by, from, in a gate -ā

PLURAL.

Nom. portae gates (as subject) -ae

Gen. portārum of gates -ārum

Dat. portīs to or for gates -īs

Acc. portās gates (as object) -ās

Voc. portae O gates! -ae

Abl. portīs with, by, from, in gates -īs

1. The Latin has no article, and porta may mean either a gate or the gate; and in the Plural, gates or the gates.

Peculiarities of Nouns of the First Declension.

21. 1. EXCEPTIONS IN GENDER. Nouns denoting males are Masculine; as, nauta, sailor; agricola, farmer; also, Hadria, Adriatic Sea.

2. Rare Case-Endings,—

a) An old form of the Genitive Singular in -ās is preserved in the combination pater familiās, father of a family; also in māter familiās, fīlius familiās, fīlia familiās. But the regular form of the Genitive in -ae is also admissible in these expressions; as, pater familiae.

b) In poetry a Genitive in -āī also occurs; as, aulāī.

c) The Locative Singular ends in -ae; as, Rōmae, at Rome.

d) A Genitive Plural in -um instead of -ārum sometimes occurs; as, Dardanidum instead of Dardanidārum. This termination -um is not a contraction of -ārum, but represents an entirely different case-ending.

e) Instead of the regular ending -īs, we usually find -ābus in the Dative and Ablative Plural of dea, goddess, and fīlia, daughter, especially when it is important to distinguish these nouns from the corresponding forms of deus, god, and fīlius, son. A few other words sometimes have the same peculiarity; as, lībertābus (from līberta, freedwoman), equābus (mares), to avoid confusion with lībertīs (from lībertus, freedman) and equīs (from equus, horse).

Greek Nouns.

22. These end in -ē (Feminine); -ās and -ēs (Masculine). In the Plural they are declined like regular Latin nouns of the First Declension. In the Singular they are declined as follows:—

Archiās, Archias. Epitomē, epitome. Comētēs, comet.

Nom. Archiās epitomē comētēs

Gen. Archiae epitomēs comētae

Dat. Archiae epitomae comētae

Acc. Archiam (or -ān) epitomēn comētēn

Voc. Archiā epitomē comētē (or -ă)

Abl. Archiā epitomē comētē (or -ā)

1. But most Greek nouns in -ē become regular Latin nouns in -a, and are declined like porta; as, grammatica, grammar; mūsica, music; rhētorica, rhetoric.

2. Some other peculiarities occur, especially in poetry.

SECOND DECLENSION.

ŏ-Stems.

23. Pure Latin nouns of the Second Declension end in -us, -er, -ir, Masculine; -um, Neuter. Originally -us in the Nominative of the Masculine was -os; and -um of the Neuters -om. So also in the Accusative.

Nouns in -us and -um are declined as follows:—

Hortus, garden; stem, hortŏ-. Bellum, war; stem, bellŏ-.

SINGULAR.

TERMINATION. TERMINATION.

Nom. hortus -us bellum -um

Gen. hortī -ī bellī -ī

Dat. hortō -ō bellō -ō

Acc. hortum -um bellum -um

Voc. horte -e bellum -um

Abl. hortō -ō bellō -ō

PLURAL.

Nom. hortī -ī bella -a

Gen. hortōrum -ōrum bellōrum -ōrum

Dat. hortīs -īs bellīs -īs

Acc. hortōs -ōs bella -a

Voc. hortī -ī bella -a

Abl. hortīs -īs bellīs -īs

Nouns in -er and -ir are declined as follows:—

Puer, boy; stem, puerŏ- Ager, field; stem, agrŏ- Vir, man; stem, virŏ-

SINGULAR. TERMINATION.

Nom. puer ager vir Wanting

Gen. puerī agrī virī -ī

Dat. puerō agrō virō -ō

Acc. puerum agrum virum -um

Voc. puer ager vir Wanting

Abl. puerō agrō virō -ō

PLURAL.

Nom. puerī agrī virī -ī

Gen. puerōrum agrōrum virōrum -ōrum

Dat. puerīs agrīs virīs -īs

Acc. puerōs agrōs virōs -ōs

Voc. puerī agrī virī -ī

Abl. puerīs agrīs virīs -īs

1. Note that in words of the type of puer and vir the final vowel of the stem has disappeared in the Nominative and Vocative Singular.

In the Nominative and Vocative Singular of ager, the stem is further modified by the development of e before r.

2. The following nouns in -er are declined like puer: adulter, adulterer; gener, son-in-law; Līber, Bacchus; socer, father-in-law; vesper, evening; and compounds in -fer and -ger, as signifer, armiger.

Nouns in -vus, -vum, -quus.

24. Nouns ending in the Nominative Singular in -vus, -vum, -quus, exhibited two types of inflection in the classical Latin,—an earlier and a later,—as follows:—

Earlier Inflection (including Caesar and Cicero).

Servos, m., slave. Aevom, n., age. Equos, m., horse.

SINGULAR.

Nom. servos aevom equos

Gen. servī aevī equī

Dat. servō aevō equō

Acc. servom aevom equom

Voc. serve aevom eque

Abl. servō aevō equō

Later inflection (after Cicero).
SINGULAR.

Nom. servus aevum equus

Gen. servī aevī equī

Dat. servō aevō equō

Act. servum aevum equum

Voc. serve aevum eque

Abl. servō aevō equō

1. The Plural of these nouns is regular, and always uniform.

Peculiarities of Inflection in the Second Declension.

25. 1. Proper names in -ius regularly form the Genitive Singular in -ī (instead of -iī), and the Vocative Singular in -ī (for -ie); as Vergílī, of Virgil, or O Virgil (instead of Vergiliī, Vergilie). In such words the accent stands upon the penult, even though that be short. Nouns in -ajus, -ejus form the Gen. in -aī, -eī, as Pompejus, Pompeī.

2. Nouns in -ius and -ium, until after the beginning of the reign of Augustus (31 B.C.), regularly formed the Genitive Singular in -i (instead of -iī); as,—

Nom. ingenium fīlius

Gen. ingénī fīlī

These Genitives accent the penult, even when it is short.

3. Fīlius forms the Vocative Singular in -ī (for -ie); viz. fīlī, O son!

4. Deus, god, lacks the Vocative Singular. The Plural is inflected as follows:—

Nom. dī (deī)

Gen. deōrum (deum)

Dat. dīs (deīs)

Acc. deōs

Voc. dī (deī)

Abl. dīs (deīs)

5. The Locative Singular ends in -ī; as, Corinthī, at Corinth.

6. The Genitive Plural has -um, instead of -ōrum,—

a) in words denoting money and measure; as, talentum, of talents; modium, of pecks; sēstertium, of sesterces.

b) in duumvir, triumvir, decemvir; as, duumvirum.

c) sometimes in other words; as, līberum, of the children; socium, of the allies.

Exceptions to Gender in the Second Declension.

26. 1. The following nouns in -us are Feminine by exception:—

a) Names of towns, islands, trees—according to the general rule laid down in § 15, 2; also some names of countries; as Aegyptus, Egypt.

b) Five special words,—

alvus, belly;

carbasus, flax;

colus, distaff;

humus, ground;

vannus, winnowing-fan.

c) A few Greek Feminines; as,—

atomus, atom;

diphthongus, diphthong.

2. The following nouns in -us are Neuter:—

pelagus, sea;

vīrus, poison;

vulgus, crowd.

Greek Nouns of the Second Declension.

27. These end in -os, -ōs, Masculine or Feminine; and -on, Neuter. They are mainly proper names, and are declined as follows:—

Barbitos, m. and f., lyre. Androgeōs, m., Androgeos. Īlion, n., Troy.

Nom. barbitos Androgeōs Īlion

Gen. barbitī Androgeō, -ī Īliī

Dat. barbitō Androgeō Īliō

Acc. barbiton Androgeō, -ōn Īlion

Voc. barbite Androgeōs Īlion

Abl. barbitō Androgeō Īliō

1. Nouns in -os sometimes form the Accusative Singular in -um instead of -on; as, Dēlum, Delos.

2. The Plural of Greek nouns, when it occurs, is usually regular.

3. For other rare forms of Greek nouns the lexicon may be consulted.

THIRD DECLENSION.

28. Nouns of the Third Declension end in -a, -e, -ī, -ō, -y, -c, -l, -n, -r, -s, -t, -x. The Third Declension includes several distinct classes of Stems,—

I. Pure Consonant-Stems.

II. ĭ-Stems.

III. Consonant-Stems which have partially adapted themselves to the inflection of ĭ-Stems.

IV. A very few stems ending in a long vowel or a diphthong.

V. Irregular Nouns.

I. Consonant-Stems.

29. 1. In these the stem appears in its unaltered form in all the oblique cases, so that the actual case-endings may be clearly recognized.

2. Consonant-Stems fall into several natural subdivisions, according as the stem ends in a Mute, Liquid, Nasal, or Spirant.

A. Mute-Stems.

30. Mute-Stems may end,—

1. In a Labial (p); as, prīncep-s.

2. In a Guttural (g or c); as, rēmex (rēmeg-s); dux (duc-s).

3. In a Dental (d or t); as, lapis (lapid-s); mīles (mīlet-s).

1. STEMS IN A LABIAL MUTE (p).

31. Prīnceps, m., chief.

SINGULAR. TERMINATION.

Nom. prīnceps -s

Gen. prīncipis -is

Dat. prīncipī -ī

Acc. prīncipem -em

Voc. prīnceps -s

Abl. prīncipe -e

PLURAL.

Nom. prīncipēs -ēs

Gen. prīncipum -um

Dat. prīncipibus -ibus

Acc. prīncipēs -ēs

Voc. prīncipēs -ēs

Abl. prīncipibus -ibus

2. STEMS IN A GUTTURAL MUTE (g, c).

32. In these the termination -s of the Nominative Singular unites with the guttural, thus producing -x.

Rēmex, m., rower. Dux, c., leader.

SINGULAR. PLURAL. SINGULAR. PLURAL.

Nom. rēmex rēmigēs dux ducēs

Gen. rēmigis rēmigum ducis ducum

Dat. rēmigī rēmigibus ducī ducibus

Acc. rēmigem rēmigēs ducem ducēs

Voc. rēmex rēmigēs dux ducēs

Abl. rēmige rēmigibus duce ducibus

3. STEMS IN A DENTAL MUTE (d, t).

33. In these the final d or t of the stem disappears in the Nominative Singular before the ending -s.

Lapis, m., stone. Mīles, m., soldier.

SINGULAR. PLURAL. SINGULAR. PLURAL.

Nom. lapis lapidēs mīles mīlitēs

Gen. lapidis lapidum mīlitis mīlitum

Dat. lapidī lapidibus mīlitī mīlitibus

Acc. lapidem lapidēs mīlitem mīlitēs

Voc. lapis lapidēs mīles mīlitēs

Abl. lapide lapidibus mīlite mīlitibus

B. Liquid Stems.

34. These end in -l or -r.

Vigil, m., watchman. Victor, m., conqueror. Aequor, n., sea.

SINGULAR.

Nom. vigil victor aequor

Gen. vigilis victōris aequoris

Dat. vigilī victōrī aequorī

Acc. vigilem victōrem aequor

Voc. vigil victor aequor

Abl. vigile victōre aequore

PLURAL.

Nom. vigilēs victōrēs aequora

Gen. vigilum victōrum aequorum

Dat. vigilibus victōribus aequoribus

Acc. vigilēs victōrēs aequora

Voc. vigilēs victōrēs aequora

Abl. vigilibus victōribus aequoribus

1. Masculine and Feminine stems ending in a liquid form the Nominative and Vocative Singular without termination.

2. The termination is also lacking in the Nominative, Accusative and Vocative Singular of all neuters of the Third Declension.

C. Nasal Stems.

35. These end in -n, which often disappears in the Nom. Sing.

Leō, m., lion. Nōmen, n., name

SINGULAR. PLURAL. SINGULAR. PLURAL.

Nom. leō leōnēs nōmen nōmina

Gen. leōnis leōnum nōminis nōminum

Dat. leōnī leōnibus nōminī nōminibus

Acc. leōnem leōnēs nōmen nōmina

Voc. leō leōnēs nōmen nōmina

Abl. leōne leōnibus nōmine nōminibus

D. s-Stems.

36.

Mōs, m. custom. Genus, n., race. Honor, m., honor.

SINGULAR.

Nom. mōs genus honor

Gen. mōris generis honōris

Dat. mōrī generī honōrī

Acc. mōrem genus honōrem

Voc. mōs genus honor

Abl. mōre genere honōre

PLURAL.

Nom. mōrēs genera honōrēs

Gen. mōrum generum honōrum

Dat. mōribus generibus honōribus

Acc. mōrēs genera honōrēs

Voc. mōrēs genera honōrēs

Abl. mōribus generibus honōribus

1. Note that the final s of the stem becomes r (between vowels) in the oblique cases. In many words (honor, color, and the like) the r of the oblique cases has, by analogy, crept into the Nominative, displacing the earlier s, though the forms honōs, colōs, etc., also occur, particularly in early Latin and in poetry.

II. ĭ-Stems.

A. Masculine and Feminine ĭ-Stems.

37. These regularly end in -is in the Nominative Singular, and always have -ium in the Genitive Plural. Originally the Accusative Singular ended in -im, the Ablative Singular in -ī, and the Accusative Plural in -īs; but these endings have been largely displaced by -em, -e, and -ēs, the endings of Consonant-Stems.

38.

Tussis, f., cough; stem, tussi-. Īgnis, m., fire; stem, īgni-. Hostis, c., enemy; stem, hosti-.

SINGULAR.
TERMINATION.

Nom. tussis īgnis hostis -is

Gen. tussis īgnis hostis -is

Dat. tussī īgnī hostī -ī

Acc. tussim īgnem hostem -im, -em

Voc. tussis īgnis hostis -is

Abl. tussī īgnī or e hoste -ī, -e

PLURAL.

Nom. tussēs īgnēs hostēs -ēs

Gen. tussium īgnium hostium -ium

Dat. tussibus īgnibus hostibus -ibus

Acc. tussīs or -ēs īgnīs or -ēs hostīs or -ēs -īs, -ēs

Voc. tussēs īgnēs hostēs -ēs

Abl. tussibus īgnibus hostibus -ibus

1. To the same class belong—

apis, bee. crātis, hurdle. †*secūris, axe.

auris, ear. *febris, fever. sēmentis, sowing.

avis, bird. orbis, circle. †*sitis, thirst.

axis, axle. ovis, sheep. torris, brand.

*būris, plough-beam. pelvis, basin. †*turris, tower.

clāvis, key. puppis, stern. trudis, pole.

collis, hill. restis, rope. vectis, lever.

and many others.

Words marked with a star regularly have Acc. -im; those marked with a † regularly have Abl. -ī. Of the others, many at times show -im and -ī. Town and river names in -is regularly have -im, -ī.

2. Not all nouns in -is are ĭ-Stems. Some are genuine consonant-stems, and have the regular consonant terminations throughout, notably, canis, dog; juvenis, youth.

3. Some genuine ĭ-Stems have become disguised in the Nominative Singular; as, pars, part, for par(ti)s; anas, duck, for ana(ti)s; so also mors, death; dōs, dowry; nox, night; sors, lot; mēns, mind; ars, art; gēns, tribe; and some others.

B. Neuter ĭ-Stems.

39. These end in the Nominative Singular in -e, -al, and -ar. They always have -ī in the Ablative Singular, -ia in the Nominative, Accusative, and Vocative Plural, and -ium in the Genitive Plural, thus holding more steadfastly to the i-character than do Masculine and Feminine ĭ-Stems.

Sedile, seat;
stem, sedīli-. Animal, animal;
stem, animāli-. Calcar, spur;
stem, calcāri-.

SINGULAR.
TERMINATION.

Nom. sedīle animal calcar -e or wanting

Gen. sedīlis animālis calcāris -is

Dat. sedīlī animālī calcārī -ī

Acc. sedīle animal calcar -e or wanting

Voc. sedīle animal calcar -e or wanting

Abl. sedīlī animālī calcārī -ī

PLURAL.

Nom. sedīlia animālia calcāria -ia

Gen. sedīlium animālium calcārium -ium

Dat. sedīlibus animālibus calcāribus -ibus

Acc. sedīlia animālia calcāria -ia

Voc. sedīlia animālia calcāria -ia

Abl. sedīlibus animālibus calcāribus -ibus

1. In most words of this class the final -i of the stem is lost in the Nominative Singular; in others it appears as -e.

2. Proper names in -e form the Ablative Singular in -e; as, Sōracte, Mt. Soracte; so also sometimes mare, sea.

III. Consonant-Stems that have partially adapted themselves to the Inflection of ĭ-Stems.

40. Many Consonant-Stems have so far adapted themselves to the inflection of ĭ-stems as to take -ium in the Genitive Plural, and -īs in the Accusative Plural. Their true character as Consonant-Stems, however, is shown by the fact that they never take -im in the Accusative Singular, or -ī in the Ablative Singular. The following words are examples of this class:—

Caedēs, f., slaughter;
stem, caed-. Arx, f., citadel;
stem, arc-. Linter, f., skiff;
stem, lintr-.

SINGULAR.

Nom. caedēs arx linter

Gen. caedis arcis lintris

Dat. caedī arcī lintrī

Acc. caedem arcem lintrem

Voc. caedēs arx linter

Abl. caede arce lintre

PLURAL.

Nom. caedēs arcēs lintrēs

Gen. caedium arcium lintrium

Dat. caedibus arcibus lintribus

Acc. caedēs, -īs arcēs, -īs lintrēs, -īs

Voc. caedēs arcēs lintrēs

Abl. caedibus arcibus lintribus

1. The following classes of nouns belong here:—

a) Nouns in -ēs, with Genitive in -is; as, nūbēs, aedēs, clādēs, etc.

b) Many monosyllables in -s or -x preceded by one or more consonants; as, urbs, mōns, stirps, lanx.

c) Most nouns in -ns and -rs as, cliēns, cohors.

d) Ūter, venter; fūr, līs, mās, mūs, nix; and the Plurals faucēs, penātēs, Optimātēs, Samnitēs, Quirītēs.

e) Sometimes nouns in -tās with Genitive -tātis; as, cīvitās, aetās. Cīvitās usually has cīvitātium.

IV. Stems in -ī, -ū, and Diphthongs.

41.

Vis, f., force;
stem, vī-. Sūs, c., swine;
stem, sū-. Bōs, c., ox, cow;
stem, bou-. Juppiter, m., Jupiter;
stem, Jou-.

SINGULAR.

Nom. vīs sūs bōs Juppiter

Gen. —— suis bovis Jovis

Dat. —— suī bovī Jovī

Acc. vim suem bovem Jovem

Voc. vīs sūs bōs Juppiter

Abl. vī sue bove Jove

PLURAL.

Nom. vīrēs suēs bovēs

Gen. vīrium suum bovum, boum

Dat. vīribus suibus, subus bōbus, būbus

Acc. vīrēs suēs bovēs

Voc. vīrēs suēs bovēs

Abl. vīribus suibus, subus bōbus, būbus

1. Notice that the oblique cases of sūs have ŭ in the root syllable.

2. Grūs is declined like sūs, except that the Dative and Ablative Plural are always gruibus.

3. Juppiter is for Jou-pater, and therefore contains the same stem as in Jov-is, Jov-ī, etc.

Nāvis was originally a diphthong stem ending in au-, but it has passed over to the ĭ-stems (§ 37). Its ablative often ends in -ī.

V. Irregular Nouns.

42.

Senex, m.,
old man. Carō, f., flesh. Os, n., bone.

SINGULAR.

Nom. senex carō os

Gen. senis carnis ossis

Dat. senī carnī ossī

Acc. senem carnem os

Voc. senex carō os

Abl. sene carne osse

PLURAL.

Nom. senēs carnēs ossa

Gen. senum carnium ossium

Dat. senibus carnibus ossibus

Acc. senēs carnēs ossa

Voc. senēs carnēs ossa

Abl. senibus carnibus ossibus

1. Iter, itineris, n., way, is inflected regularly throughout from the stem itiner-.

2. Supellex, supellectilis, f., furniture, is confined to the Singular. The oblique cases are formed from the stem supellectil-. The ablative has both -ī and -e.

3. Jecur, n., liver, forms its oblique cases from two stems,—jecor- and jecinor-. Thus, Gen. jecoris or jecinoris.

4. Femur, n., thigh, usually forms its oblique cases from the stem femor-, but sometimes from the stem femin-. Thus, Gen. femoris or feminis.

General Principles of Gender in the Third Declension.

43. 1. Nouns in -ō, -or, -ōs, -er, -ĕs are Masculine.

2. Nouns in -ās, -ēs, -is, -ys, -x, -s (preceded by a consonant); -dō, -gō (Genitive -inis); -iō (abstract and collective), -ūs (Genitive -ātis or -ūdis) are Feminine.

3. Nouns ending in -a, -e, -i, -y, -o, -l, -n, -t, -ar, -ur, -ŭs are Neuter.

Chief Exceptions to Gender in the Third Declension.

44. Exceptions to the Rule for Masculines.

1. Nouns in -ō.

a. Feminine: carō, flesh.

2. Nouns in -or.

a. Feminine: arbor, tree.

b. Neuter: aequor, sea; cor, heart; marmor, marble.

3. Nouns in -ōs.

a. Feminine: dōs, dowry.

b. Neuter: ōs (ōris), mouth.

4. Nouns in -er.

a. Feminine: linter, skiff.

b. Neuter: cadāver, corpse; iter, way; tūber, tumor; ūber, udder. Also botanical names in -er; as, acer, maple.

5. Nouns in -ĕs.

a. Feminine: seges, crop.

45. Exceptions to the Rule for Feminines.

1. Nouns in -ās.

a. Masculine: vās, bondsman.

b. Neuter: vās, vessel.

2. Nouns in -ēs.

a. Masculine: ariēs, ram; pariēs, wall; pēs, foot.

3. Nouns in -is.

a. Masculine: all nouns in -nis and -guis; as, amnis, river; īgnis, fire; pānis, bread; sanguis, blood; unguis, nail.

Also—

axis, axle.
collis, hill.
fascis, bundle.
lapis, stone.
mēnsis, month. piscis, fish.
postis, post.
pulvis, dust.
orbis, circle.
sentis, brier.

4. Nouns in -x.

a. Masculine: apex, peak; cōdex, tree-trunk; grex, flock; imbrex, tile; pollex, thumb; vertex, summit; calix, cup.

5. Nouns in -s preceded by a consonant.

a. Masculine: dēns, tooth; fōns, fountain; mōns, mountain; pōns, bridge.

6. Nouns in -dō.

a. Masculine: cardō, hinge; ōrdō, order.

46. Exceptions to the Rule for Neuters.

1. Nouns in -l.

a. Masculine: sōl, sun; sāl, salt.

2. Nouns in -n.

a. Masculine: pecten, comb.

3. Nouns in -ur.

a. Masculine: vultur, vulture.

4. Nouns in -ŭs.

a. Masculine: lepus, hare.

Greek Nouns of the Third Declension.

47. The following are the chief peculiarities of these:—

1. The ending -ă in the Accusative Singular; as, aetheră, aether; Salamīnă, Salamis.

2. The ending -ĕs in the Nominative Plural; as, Phrygĕs, Phrygians.

3. The ending -ăs in the Accusative Plural; as, Phrygăs, Phrygians.

4. Proper names in -ās (Genitive -antis) have -ā in the Vocative Singular; as, Atlās (Atlantis), Vocative Atlā, Atlas.

5. Neuters in -ma (Genitive -matis) have -īs instead of -ibus in the Dative and Ablative Plural; as, poēmatīs, poems.

6. Orpheus, and other proper names ending in -eus, form the Vocative Singular in -eu (Orpheu, etc.). But in prose the other cases usually follow the second declension; as, Orpheī, Orpheō, etc.

7. Proper names in -ēs, like Periclēs, form the Genitive Singular sometimes in -is, sometimes in -ī, as, Periclis or Periclī.

8. Feminine proper names in -ō have -ūs in the Genitive, but -ō in the other oblique cases; as,—

Nom. Didō Acc. Didō

Gen. Didūs Voc. Didō

Dat. Didō Abl. Didō

9. The regular Latin endings often occur in Greek nouns.

FOURTH DECLENSION.

ŭ-Stems.

48. Nouns of the Fourth Declension end in -us Masculine, and -ū Neuter. They are declined as follows:—

Frūctus, m., fruit. Cornū, n., horn.

SINGULAR. PLURAL. SINGULAR. PLURAL.

Nom. frūctus frūctūs cornū cornua

Gen. frūctūs frūctuum cornūs cornuum

Dat. frūctuī frūctibus cornū cornibus

Acc. frūctum frūctūs cornū cornua

Voc. frūctus frūctūs cornū cornua

Abl. frūctū frūctibus cornū cornibus

Peculiarities of Nouns of the Fourth Declension.

49. 1. Nouns in -us, particularly in early Latin, often form the Genitive Singular in -ī, following the analogy of nouns in -us of the Second Declension; as, senātī, ōrnātī. This is usually the case in Plautus and Terence.

2. Nouns in -us sometimes have -ū in the Dative Singular, instead of -uī; as, frūctū (for frūctuī).

3. The ending -ubus, instead of -ibus, occurs in the Dative and Ablative Plural of artūs (Plural), limbs; tribus, tribe; and in dis-syllables in -cus; as, artubus, tribubus, arcubus, lacubus. But with the exception of tribus, all these words admit the forms in -ibus as well as those in -ubus.

4. Domus, house, is declined according to the Fourth Declension, but has also the following forms of the Second:—

domī (locative), at home;

domō, from home;

domum, homewards, to one's home;

domōs, homewards, to their (etc.) homes

5. The only Neuters of this declension in common use are: cornū, horn; genū, knee; and verū, spit.

Exceptions to Gender in the Fourth Declension.

50. The following nouns in -us are Feminine: acus, needle; domus, house; manus, hand; porticus, colonnade; tribus, tribe; Īdūs (Plural), Ides; also names of trees (§ 15, 2).

FIFTH DECLENSION.

ē-Stems.

51. Nouns of the Fifth Declension end in -ēs, and are declined as follows:—

Diēs, m., day. Rēs, f., thing.

SINGULAR. PLURAL. SINGULAR. PLURAL.

Nom. diēs diēs rēs rēs

Gen. diēī diērum rĕī rērum

Dat. diēī diēbus rĕī rēbus

Acc. diem diēs rem rēs

Voc. diēs diēs rēs rēs

Abl. diē diēbus rē rēbus

Peculiarities of Nouns of the Fifth Declension.

52. 1. The ending of the Genitive and Dative Singular is -ĕī, instead of -ēī, when a consonant precedes; as, spĕī, rĕī, fidĕī.

2. A Genitive ending -ī (for -ĕī) is found in plēbī (from plēbēs = plēbs) in the expressions tribūnus plēbī, tribune of the people, and plēbī scītum, decree of the people; sometimes also in other words.

3. A Genitive and Dative form in -ē sometimes occurs; as, aciē.

4. With the exception of diēs and rēs, most nouns of the Fifth Declension are not declined in the Plural. But aciēs, seriēs, speciēs, spēs, and a few others are used in the Nominative and Accusative Plural.

Gender in the Fifth Declension.

53. Nouns of the Fifth Declension are regularly Feminine, except diēs, day, and merīdiēs, mid-day. But diēs is sometimes Feminine in the Singular, particularly when it means an appointed day.

DEFECTIVE NOUNS.

54. Here belong—

1. Nouns used in the Singular only.

2. Nouns used in the Plural only.

3. Nouns used only in certain cases.

4. Indeclinable Nouns.

Nouns used in the Singular only.

55. Many nouns, from the nature of their signification, are regularly used in the Singular only. Thus:—

1. Proper names; as, Cicerō, Cicero; Italia, Italy.

2. Nouns denoting material; as, aes, copper; lac, milk.

3. Abstract nouns; as, ignōrantia, ignorance; bonitās, goodness.

4. But the above classes of words are sometimes used in the Plural. Thus:—

a) Proper names,—to denote different members of a family, or specimens of a type; as, Cicerōnēs, the Ciceros; Catōnēs, men like Cato.

b) Names of materials,—to denote objects made of the material, or different kinds of the substance; as, aera, bronzes (i.e. bronze figures); ligna, woods.

c) Abstract nouns,—to denote instances of the quality; as, ignōrantiae, cases of ignorance.

Nouns used in the Plural only.

56. Here belong—

1. Many geographical names; as, Thēbae, Thebes; Leuctra, Leuctra; Pompejī, Pompeii.

2. Many names of festivals; as, Megalēsia, the Megalesian festival.

3. Many special words, of which the following are the most important:—

angustiae, narrow pass.
arma, weapons.
dēliciae, delight.
dīvitiae, riches.
Īdūs, Ides.
indūtiae, truce.
īnsidiae, ambush.
majōrēs, ancestors. mānēs, spirits of the dead.
moenia, city walls.
minae, threats.
nūptiae, marriage.
posterī, descendants.
reliquiae, remainder.
tenebrae, darkness.
verbera, blows.

Also in classical prose regularly—

cervīcēs, neck.
fidēs, lyre. nārēs, nose.
vīscerā, viscera.

Nouns used only in Certain Cases.

57. 1. Used in only One Case. Many nouns of the Fourth Declension are found only in the Ablative Singular as, jussū, by the order; injussū, without the order; nātū, by birth.

2. Used in Two Cases.

a. Fors (chance), Nom. Sing.; forte, Abl. Sing.

b. Spontis (free-will), Gen. Sing.; sponte, Abl. Sing.

3. Used in Three Cases. Nēmō, no one (Nom.), has also the Dat. nēminī and the Acc. nēminem. The Gen. and Abl. are supplied by the corresponding cases of nūllus; viz. nūllīus and nūllō.

4. Impetus has the Nom., Acc., and Abl. Sing., and the Nom. and Acc. Plu.; viz. impetus, impetum, impetū, impetūs.

5.

a. Precī, precem, prece, lacks the Nom. and Gen. Sing.

b. Vicis, vicem, vice, lacks the Nom. and Dat. Sing.

6. Opis, dapis, and frūgis,—all lack the Nom. Sing.

7. Many monosyllables of the Third Declension lack the Gen. Plu.: as, cor, lūx, sōl, aes, ōs (ōris), rūs, sāl, tūs.

Indeclinable Nouns.

58. Here belong—

fās, n., right.
īnstar, n., likeness.
māne, n., morning. nefās, n., impiety.
nihil, n., nothing.
secus, n., sex.

1. With the exception of māne (which may serve also as Ablative, in the morning), the nouns in this list are simply Neuters confined in use to the Nominative and Accusative Singular.

Heteroclites.

59. These are nouns whose forms are partly of one declension, and partly of another. Thus:—

1. Several nouns have the entire Singular of one declension, while the Plural is of another; as,—

vās, vāsis (vessel); Plu., vāsa, vāsorōum, vāsīs, etc.

jūgerum, jūgerī (acre); Plu., jūgera, jūgerum, jūgeribus, etc.

2. Several nouns, while belonging in the main to one declension, have certain special forms belonging to another. Thus:—

a) Many nouns of the First Declension ending in -ia take also a Nom. and Acc. of the Fifth; as, māteriēs, māteriem, material, as well as māteria, māteriam.

b) Famēs, hunger, regularly of the Third Declension, has the Abl. famē of the Fifth.

c) Requiēs, requiētis, rest, regularly of the Third Declension, takes an Acc. of the Fifth, requiem, in addition to requiētem.

d) Besides plēbs, plēbis, common people, of the Third Declension, we find plēbēs, plēbĕī (also plēbī, see § 52, 2), of the Fifth.

Heterogeneous Nouns.

60. Heterogeneous nouns vary in Gender. Thus:—

1. Several nouns of the Second Declension have two forms,—one Masc. in -us, and one Neuter in -um; as, clipeus, clipeum, shield; carrus, carrum, cart.

2. Other nouns have one gender in the Singular, another in the Plural; as,—

SINGULAR. PLURAL.

balneum, n., bath; balneae, f., bath-house.

epulum, n., feast; epulae, f., feast.

frēnum, n., bridle; frēnī, m.(rarely frēna, n.), bridle.

jocus, m., jest; joca, n. (also jocī, m.), jests.

locus, m., place; loca, n., places; locī, m., passages or topics in an author.

rāstrum, n., rake; rāstrī, m.; rāstra, n., rakes.

a. Heterogeneous nouns may at the same time be heteroclites, as in case of the first two examples above.

Plurals with Change of Meaning.

61. The following nouns have one meaning in the Singular, and another in the Plural:—

SINGULAR. PLURAL.

aedēs, temple; aedēs, house.

auxilium, help; auxilia, auxiliary troops.

carcer, prison; carcerēs, stalls for racing-chariot.

castrum, fort; castra, camp.

cōpia, abundance; cōpiae, troops, resources.

fīnis, end; fīnēs, borders, territory.

fortūna, fortune; fortūnae, possessions, wealth.

grātia, favor, gratitude; grātiae, thanks.

impedīmentum, hindrance; impedīmenta, baggage.

littera, letter (of the alphabet); litterae, epistle; literature.

mōs, habit, custom; mōrēs, character.

opera, help, service; operae, laborers.

(ops) opis, help; opēs, resources.

pars, part; partēs, party; rôle.

sāl, salt; sălēs, wit.