Elementary Greek Grammar: PART II: INFLECTION OF NOUNS

§ 32.

1. INFLECTION is a change in the form of a word, made to express its relation to other words. It includes the declension of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, and the conjugation of verbs.

2. Every inflected word has a fundamental part, which is called the stem. To this are appended various letters or syllables, called endings, to form cases, tenses, persons, numbers, &c.

Note. Most words contain a still more primitive element than the stem, which is called the root. Thus, the stem of the verb τιμάω, honor, and that of the noun τιμή, is τιμα-; that of τίσις, payment, recompense, is τι-; that of τίμιος, held in honor, is τιμιο-; that of τίμημα (τιμήματος), valuation, is τιμηματ-; but all these stems are developed from one root, τι-, which is seen pure in the verb τίω, honor. In τίω, therefore, the stem of the verb and the root are the same. The stem itself may be modified and assume various forms in different parts of a noun or verb. Thus the same verbal stem may in different tenses appear as λιπ-, λειπ-, and λοιπ-; and the same nominal stem may appear as τιμα- and τιμη-.

§ 33.

1. There are three numbers; the singular, the dual, and the plural. The singular denotes one object, the plural more than one. The dual is sometimes used to denote two objects, but even here the plural is more common.

2. There are three genders; the masculine, the feminine, and the neuter.

Note. 1. The grammatical gender in Greek is very often different from the natural gender. Especially many names of things are masculine or feminine. A Greek noun is called masculine, feminine, or neuter, when it requires an adjective or article to take the form adapted to either of these genders. The gender is often indicated by prefixing the article; as (ὁ) ἀνήρ, man; (ἡ) γυνή, woman; (τὸ) πρᾶγμα, thing. (See § 78.)

Note. 2. Nouns which may be either masculine or feminine are said to be of the common gender: as (ὁ, ἡ) θεός, God or Goddess. Names of animals which include both sexes, but have only one grammatical gender, are called epicene (ἐπίκοινος); as ὁ ἀετός, the eagle; ἡ ἀλώπηξ, the fox.

Note. 3. The gender must often be learned by observation. But names of males are generally masculine, and names of females feminine. Most names of rivers, winds, and months are masculine; and most names of countries, towns, trees, and islands are feminine. Most nouns denoting qualities or conditions are feminine; as ἡ ἀρετή, virtue, ἐλπίς, hope. Diminutive nouns are neuter; as παιδίον, child. Other rules are given under the declensions (§§ 35, 40, 58) and in § 129.

3. There are five cases; the nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, and vocative. The nominative and vocative plural are always alike. In neuters, the nominative, accusative, and vocative are alike in all numbers; and in the plural these cases end in ᾰ. The nominative, accusative, and vocative dual are always alike; and the genitive and dative dual are always alike.

Note. 1. The cases have in general the same meaning as the corresponding cases in Latin; as Nom. a man (as subject), Gen. of a man, Dat. to or for a man, Accus. a man (as object), Voc. O man. The chief functions of the Latin ablative are divided between the Greek genitive and dative. (See Remark before § 157.)

Note. 2. All the cases except the nominative and vocative are called oblique cases.

There are three declensions of nouns, in which also all adjectives and participles are included.

These correspond in general to the first three declensions in Latin. (See § 45, 2, Note). The first is sometimes called the A declension, and the second the O declension; these two together are sometimes called the Vowel declension, as opposed to the third or Consonant declension (§ 45, 1). The principles which are common to adjectives, participles, and substantives are given under the three declensions of nouns.

Note. The name noun (ὄνομα), according to ancient usage, includes both substantives and adjectives. But by modern custom noun is often used as synonymous with substantive, and it is so used in the present work.

§ 35.

Stems of the first declension end originally in α, which is often modified into η in the singular. The nominative singular of feminines ends in α or η; that of masculines ends in ας or ης.

§ 36.

The following table shows the terminations in all the cases of this declension. These consist of the final α (or η) of the stem united with the case-endings (§ 32, 2). See § 45, 2, N.

Note. Here, as in most cases, the relation of the stem to the terminations must be explained by reference to the earlier forms of the language. Thus, ῶν of the genitive plural (§ 25, 2) is contracted from the Homeric άων (§ 39); and ου of the genitive singular comes from the Homeric αο (through a form εο) by contraction. The stem in α may thus be seen in all the cases of οἰκίᾱ and ταμίᾱς, and (with the change of α to η in the singular) also in all the other paradigms. (See § 45, 2, Note.) The forms in α and η have no case-endings.

§ 37.

1. The nouns (ἡ) τιμή, honor, (ἡ) οἰκίᾱ, house, (ἡ) χώρα, land, (ἡ) Μοῦσα, Muse, (ὁ) πολίτης, citizen, (ὁ) ταμίᾱς, steward, are thus declined: -

Singular.

Dual.

Plural.

The following show varieties of quantity and accent: -

θάλασσᾰ, sea, θαλάσσης, θαλάσσῃ, θάλασσαν; Pl. θάλασσαι, &c.

γέφυρᾰ, bridge, γεφύρας, γεφύρᾳ, γέφυραν; Pl. γέφυραι, &c.

σκιᾱ́, shadow, σκιᾶς, σκιᾷ, σκιᾱ́ν; Pl. σκιαί, σκιῶν, σκιαῖς, &c.

γνώμη, opinion, γνώμης, γνώμῃ, γνώμην; Pl. γνῶμαι, γνωμῶν, &c.

πεῖρα, attempt, πείρας, πείρᾳ, πεῖραν; Pl. πεῖραι, πειρῶν, &c.

2. Nouns ending in α preceded by ε, ι, or ρ, and a few proper names, retain α throughout the singular, and are declined like οἰκίᾱ or χώρα (those with ᾰ like γέφυρᾰ or πεῖρα). Other nouns in α are declined like Μοῦσα.

Note 1. The nouns in ης which have ᾰ in the vocative singular (like πολίτης) are chiefly those in της, national appellatives (like Πέρσης, a Persian, voc. Πέρσᾰ), and compounds (like γεω-μέτρης, a geometer, voc. γεωμέτρᾰ). Δεσπότης, master, has voc. δέσποτᾰ. Most other nouns in ης have the vocative in η; as Κρονίδης, son of Kronos, Κρονίδη.

Note 2. The termination α of the nominative singular is always short when the genitive has ης. It is generally long when the genitive has ας; the exceptions, which can always be seen by the accent (§ 22), are chiefly (a) most nouns ending in ρα preceded by a diphthong or by ῠ (as μοῖρα, γέφυρᾰ), (b) most abstract nouns formed from the stems of adjectives in ης or οος (as ἀλήθειᾰ, εὔνοιᾰ), (c) most compounds in εια (as μεσό-γειᾰ), (d) common nouns in εια and τρια designating females (as βασίλειᾰ, queen, ψάλτριᾰ, female harper): but βασιλείᾱ, kingdom (with ᾱ).

Note 3. Αν of the accusative singular and α of the vocative singular agree in quantity with α of the nominative. The quantity of all other vowels may be seen from the table in § 36.

Note 4. The nouns in ᾰ always have recessive accent (§ 21, 3).

Contract Nouns of the First Declension.

§ 38.

Most nouns in αα, εα, and εας, are contracted (§ 9). Μνάα, μνᾶ, mina, συκέα, συκῆ, fig-tree, and Ἑρμέας, Ἑρμῆς, Hermes (Mercury), are thus declined: -

Singular.

Dual.

Plural.

Note 1. Βορέας, North wind, which appears uncontracted in Attic, has also a contracted form Βορρᾶς (with irregular ρρ), gen. (of Doric form, § 39, 3) Βορρᾶ, dat. Βορρᾷ, acc. Βορρᾶν, voc. Βορρᾶ.

Note 2. For εα contracted to ᾱ in the dual and the accusative plural, see § 9, 3, Note. For contract adjectives of this class, see § 65.

Dialects.

§ 39.

1. Ionic η, ης, ῃ, ην, in the singular, for ᾱ, ᾱς, ᾳ, ᾱν. Doric ᾱ, ᾱς, ᾳ, ᾱν, for η, &c. in the same cases. (See § 30.) The Ionic generally uses the uncontracted forms of contract nouns.

2. Nom. Sing. Hom. sometimes ᾰ for ης; as ἱππότᾰ for ἱππότης, horseman. (Compare Latin poeta = ποιητής.)

3. Gen. Sing. For ου, Hom. ᾱο, εω, sometimes ω; as Ἀτρείδαο, Ἀτρείδεω, βορέω; Hdt. εω, rarely έω for έεω (sometimes εω in old Attic proper names): Doric ᾱ (rarely in Attic nouns in ας).

4. Gen. Plur. Hom. άων, έων (whence, by contraction, Attic ῶν, Doric ᾶν); as ναυτάων, ναυτέων (Att. ναυτῶν): Hdt. έων.

5. Dat. Plur. Poetic αισι, Hom. ῃσι, ῃς; Hdt. ῃς; as τιμαῖσι, Μούσῃσι or Μούσῃς (for Μούσαις).

§ 40.

The nominative singular of most nouns of the second declension ends in ος or ον (gen. ου). Those in ος are masculine, rarely feminine; those in ον are neuter.

Note. The stem of nouns of this declension ends in ο, which is sometimes lengthened to ω. It becomes ε in the vocative singular; and ᾰ in the nominative, accusative, and vocative plural of neuters.

§ 41.

The following table shows the terminations of nouns in ος and ον in this declension, that is, the final ο of the stem (with its modifications) united with the case-endings: -

Note. Looking at the original forms of these terminations (§ 36, Note), we see the stem in ο in all the cases except in the vocative singular in ε and the neuter plural in α. (See § 45, 2, Note.)

§ 42.

1. The nouns (ὁ) λόγος, word, (ἡ) νῆσος, island, (ὁ, ἡ) ἄνθρωπος, man or human being, (ἡ) ὁδός, road, (τὸ) δῶρον, gift, are thus declined: -

Singular.

Dual.

Plural.

Thus decline νόμος, law, κίνδυνος, danger, ποταμός, river, βίος, life, θάνατος, death, σῦκον, fig, ἱμάτιον, outer garment.

Note. The nominative in ος is sometimes used for the vocative in ε; as ὦ φίλος (§ 157, Note). Θεός, God, has always θεός as vocative. Ἀδελφός, brother, has voc. ἄδελφε.

2. A few masculine and feminine nouns of this declension end in ως (gen. ω), and a few neuters in ων (gen. ω). This is often called the Attic declension. The nouns (ὁ) νεώς, temple, and (τὸ) ἀνώγεων, hall, are thus declined: -

The accent of these nouns is irregular (N. 2). (See § 22, N. 2; and § 25, 2, Note. See also § 53, 1, N. 2.)

Note 1. Some masculines and feminines of this class may drop ν of the accusative singular; as λαγώς, accus. λαγών or λαγώ. So Ἄθως, τὸν Ἄθων or Ἄθω; Κῶς, τὴν Κῶν or Κῶ; and Κέως, Τέως, Μίνως. Ἕως, dawn, has regularly τὴν Ἕω.

Note 2. Most nouns in εως which follow the Attic declension have older forms in ᾱος or ηος (with reversed quantity); as Hom. λᾱός, people, Att. λεώς; Dor. νᾱός, Ion. νηός, Att. νεώς; Hom. Μενέλᾱος, Att. Μενέλεως. In words like Μενέλεως, the original accent is retained. (See § 53, 3, N. 1; § 54, Note.)

Contract Nouns of the Second Declension.

§ 43.

Many nouns in εος, οος, εον, and οον are contracted. Νόος, νοῦς, mind, and ὀστέον, ὀστοῦν, bone, are thus declined: -

For the forms in εος and οον, which are generally adjectives, see § 65.

Note. The accent of these contract forms is irregular in several points: -

1. The nominative, accusative, and vocative dual contract έω and όω into ώ (not ῶ). See § 24, 1.

2. Adjectives in εος circumflex the last syllable of all contract forms; as χρύσεος, χρυσοῦς (not χρύσους, § 24, 1), golden. So κάνεον, κανοῦν, basket. Except ώ in the dual, just mentioned.

3. The contracted forms of compounds in οος follow the accent of the contracted nominative singular; as ἀντίπνοος, ἀντίπνους, blowing against, gen. ἀντιπνόου, ἀντίπνου (not ἀντιπνοῦ), &c.

For εα contracted to ᾱ in the neuter plural, see § 9, 3, Note.

Dialects.

§ 44.

1. Gen. Sing. Epic οιο (for οιο), Doric ω (for οο); as θεοῖο, μεγάλω. Attic ου is contracted from οο.

2. Gen. and Dat. Dual. Epic οιιν for οιν; as ἵπποιιν.

3. Dat. Plur. Ionic and poetic οισι for οις; as ἵπποισι.

4. Acc. Plur. Doric ως or ος for ους; as νόμως, τὼς λύκος.

5. The Ionic generally omits contraction.

1. This declension includes all nouns not belonging to either the first or the second. Its genitive singular ends in ος (sometimes ως).

Note. This is often called the Consonant Declension (§ 34), because the stem here generally ends in a consonant. Some stems, however, end in a close vowel (ι or υ), some in a diphthong, and a few in ο. The last two are supposed to have ended originally in a consonant (ϝ or σ). See § 53, 3; § 54; § 55.

2. The stem of a noun of the third declension cannot always be determined by the nominative singular; but it is generally found by dropping ος (or ως) of the genitive. The cases are formed by adding to the stem the following endings (which here are not united with any letter of the stem): -

Note. The following comparison shows the relations of the case-endings in the three declensions: -

Sing. - Nom. 1st decl. masc. ς; 2nd masc. and fem. ς, neut. ν (Lat. s, m); 3rd masc. and fem. ς (Lat. s).

Gen. 1st masc. ο, fem. ς; 2nd ο or ιο, making ου or οιο with ο of the stem (cf. Lat. i); 3rd ος (Lat. is).

Dat. All decl. ι; 1st and 2nd ι in ᾳ, ῃ, ῳ (Lat. i, ai, ae, o).

Accus. Masc. and fem. 1st and 2nd ν for μ (Lat. m); 3rd ν (Lat. m), or ᾰ for αν or αμ (Lat. em), cf. τύρσι-ν with Lat. turri-m, ὀ-δόντ-α(ν) with Lat. dent-em.

Dual. N. A. V. 1st and 2nd ᾰ and ο of stem lengthened to ᾱ and ω; 3rd ε.

G. D. 1st and 2nd ιν; 3rd οιν.

Plur. - Nom. Masc. and fem. 1st and 2nd ι; making αι and οι with α and ο of the stem (cf. Lat. i); 3rd ες (Latin es); neut. 3rd ᾰ (Lat. a).

Gen. ων; in 1st and 2nd contracted with ᾰ or ο of the stem to ων (cf. Lat. um, om).

Dat. 1st and 2nd ις (older ισι); 3rd σι.

Accus. Masc. and fem. 1st and 2nd ς (for νς), ᾱς and ους coming from ᾱνς and ονς (Lat. as, os); 3rd ᾰς (for ανς) retaining ᾰ (Lat. es); neut. 3rd ᾰ (Lat. a).

The vocative is either like the nominative or without a case-ending.

Nominative Singular.

§ 46.

The forms of the nominative singular of this declension are numerous, and must be learned partly by practice. The following are the general principles on which the nominative is formed from the stem.

1. In neuters, the nominative singular is generally the same as the stem. Stems ending in τ (including ντ) regularly drop the τ (§ 7). E.g.

Σῶμα, body, σώματ-ος; μέλᾰν (neuter of μέλᾱς), black, μέλαν-ος; λῦσαν (neuter of λύσας), having loosed, λύσαντ-ος; πᾶν, all, παντ-ός; τιθέν, placing, τιθέντ-ος; χαρίεν, graceful, χαρίεντ-ος; διδόν, giving, διδόντ-ος; λέγον, saying, λέγοντ-ος; δεικνύν (ῡ), showing, δεικνύντ-ος. For the masculine nominatives of these adjectives and participles, see below, § 46, 2, 3, and Note 1.

Some neuter stems in ατ change τ to ς in the nominative, and a few to ρ; as τέρας, prodigy, τέρατ-ος; ἧπαρ, liver, ἥπατ-ος.

2. Masculine and feminine stems (except those included under 3 and 4) form the nominative singular by adding ς and making the needful euphonic changes (§ 16). E.g.

Φύλαξ, guard, φύλακ-ος; γύψ, vulture, γυπ-ός; φλέψ, vein, φλεβ-ός (§ 16, 2); ἐλπίς (for ἐλπιδς), hope, ἐλπίδ-ος (§ 16, 2); χάρις, grace, χάριτ-ος; ὄρνις, bird, ὄρνιθ-ος; νύξ, night, νυκτ-ός; μάστιξ, scourge, μάστιγ-ος; σάλπιγξ, trumpet, σάλπιγγ-ος. So Αἴᾱς, Ajax, Αἴαντ-ος (§ 16, 6, N. 1); λύσας, λύσαντ-ος; πᾶς, παντ-ός; τιθείς, τιθέντ-ος; χαρίεις, χαρίεντ-ος; δεικνύς (ῡ), δεικνύντ-ος. (The neuters of the last five words, λῦσαν, πᾶν, τιθέν, χαρίεν, and δεικνύν, are given under § 46, 1.)

3. Masculine and feminine stems in ν and ρ lengthen the last vowel, if it is short, but are otherwise unchanged in the nominative. E.g.

Αἰών, age, αἰῶν-ος; δαίμων, divinity, δαίμον-ος; λιμήν, harbor, λιμέν-ος; θήρ, beast, θηρ-ός; ἀήρ, air, ἀέρ-ος.

Exceptions are μέλᾱς, black, μέλαν-ος; τάλᾱς, wretched, τάλαν-ος; εἷς, one, ἑν-ός; κτείς, comb, κτεν-ός; ῥίς, nose, ῥιν-ός; which add ς.

4. Masculine stems in οντ generally drop τ, and form the nominative like stems in ν (§ 46, 3). E.g.

Λέων, lion, λέοντ-ος; λέγων, speaking, λέγοντ-ος; ὤν, being, ὄντ-ος.

Note. 1. Masculine participles from verbs in ωμι change οντ to ουτ (§ 46, 2); as διδούς, giving, διδόντος (§ 16, 6, N. 1). So a few nouns in ους; as ὀδούς, tooth, ὀδόντ-ος. Neuters in οντ- are regular (§ 46, 1). In πούς, ποδ-ός, foot, οδς becomes ους.

Note. 2. The perfect active participle (§ 68), with a stem in οτ, forms its nominative in ως (masc.) and ος (neut.); as λελυκώς, having loosed, λελυκός, gen. λελυκότ-ος.

Note. 3. For nominatives in ης (ες) and ος, gen. εος, see § 52, 1, Note.

A few other peculiar formations in contract nouns will be noticed below, §§ 53-56.

Accusative Singular.

§ 47.

1. Most masculines and feminines with stems ending in a consonant form the accusative singular by adding ᾰ to the stem; as φύλαξ (φυλακ-), φύλακα; λέων (λεοντ-), lion, λέοντα.

2. Nouns in ις, υς, αυς, and ους, if the stem ends in a vowel or diphthong, change ς of the nominative to ν; as πόλις, state, πόλιν; ἰχθύς, fish, ἰχθύν; ναῦς, ship, ναῦν; βοῦς, ox, βοῦν. But if the stem ends in a consonant, barytones of these classes have ν in prose (rarely α) and ν or α in poetry, while others have only the form in α; as ἔρις, strife, ἔριν (poet. also ἔριδα); ὄρνις, bird, ὄρνιν (poet. ὄρνιθα); εὔελπις, hopeful, εὔελπιν (εὐέλπιδα); while ἐλπίς, hope, has only ἐλπίδα;πούς (ποδ-), foot, πόδα; παῖς (παιδ-), child, παῖδα.

Note. 1. Ἀπόλλων and Ποσειδῶν (Ποσειδάων) contract the accusative into Ἀπόλλω and Ποσειδῶ, after dropping ν.

For a similar contraction of ονα into ω, and of ονες and ονας into ους, see the declension of comparatives, § 72, 2.

Note. 2. For accusatives in εα (for ενα, ϝεα) from nouns in ης and ευς, see § 52, 1, Note, and § 53, 3, N. 1; and for those in ω (for οα or ωα) from nouns in ω or ως, see § 55.

Vocative Singular.

§ 48.

1. The vocative singular of masculines and feminines is generally the same as the nominative.

2. But in the following cases, it is the same as the stem: -

(a) In barytones with stems ending in a liquid; as δαίμων (δαιμον-), divinity, voc. δαῖμον; ῥήτωρ (ῥητορ-), speaker, voc. ῥῆτορ; σώφρων (σωφρον-), continent, voc. σῶφρον.

But if the last syllable is accented, the vocative is the same as the nominative; as λιμήν (λιμεν-), harbor, voc. λιμήν; αἰθήρ (αἰθερ-), sky, voc. αἰθήρ.

(b) In barytone nouns and adjectives whose stems end in ντ, final τ of the stem being dropped (§ 7); as γίγας (γιγαντ-), giant, voc. γίγαν; λέων (λεοντ-), lion, voc. λέον; χαρίεις (χαριεντ-), graceful, voc. χαρίεν.

But all participles of the third declension have the vocative and nominative alike. (Compare λύων, loosing, voc. λύων, with λέων, lion, voc. λέον.)

(c) In nouns and adjectives in ις (except those in ις, ινος), ευς, υς, and αυς. These drop ς of the nominative to form the vocative; as τυραννίς (τυραννιδ-), tyranny, voc. τυραννί (§ 7); πόλις (πολι-), state, voc. πόλι; ἰχθύς, ἰχθύ; βασιλεύς, βασιλεῦ (§ 53, 3, N. 1); γραῦς, γραῦ (§ 54, Note); παῖς (for πάϊς), παῖ (for πάϊ). So in βοῦς, βοῦ (§ 54), and sometimes in Οἰδίπους, Οἰδίπου, Oedipus.

(d) In nouns and adjectives in ης, gen. εος (ους). These, form the vocative in ες (§ 52); as Σωκράτης, voc. Σώκρατες (v. Note); τριήρης, voc. τριῆρες; ἀληθής, voc. ἀληθές.

Note. For the recessive accent of many vocatives, as Ἀγάμεμνον, Σώκρατες, Ἄπολλον, κακόδαιμον, see § 25, 1, Note.

3. Nouns in ώ, gen. οῦς (§ 55), form the vocative in οῖ. So a few in ών, gen. οῦς (§ 55, N. 2); as ἀηδών, voc. ἀηδοῖ.

Dative Plural.

§ 49.

The dative plural is formed by adding σι to the stem. E.g.

Φύλαξ (φυλακ-), φύλαξι; ῥήτωρ (ῥητορ-), ῥήτορσι; ἐλπίς (ἐλπιδ-), ἐλπίσι; πούς (ποδ-), ποσί; λέων (λεοντ-), λέουσι; δαίμων (δαιμον-), δαίμοσι; τιθείς (τιθεντ-), τιθεῖσι; χαρίεις (χαριεντ-), χαρίεσι; ἱστάς (ἱσταντ-), ἱστᾶσι; δεικνύς (δεικνυντ-), δεικνῦσι; βασιλεύς (βασιλευ-), βασιλεῦσι; βοῦς (βου-), βουσί; γραῦς (γραυ-), γραυσί (§ 54). For the euphonic changes, see § 16, 2 and 6, with notes.

For a change in syncopated nouns, see § 57.

The following are examples of the most common forms of nouns of the third declension with mute or liquid stems.

For the formation of the cases of these nouns, see §§ 46–49.

For euphonic changes in nearly all, see § 16, 2 and § 46.

For special changes in λέων and γίγας, see § 16, 6, N. 1.

I. MASCULINES AND FEMININES.

II. NEUTERS.

1. Most nouns of the third declension in which a vowel of the stem directly precedes a vowel in the case-ending are contracted in some of their cases.

2. The contracted nominative and accusative plural have the same form. (See, however, § 53, 3, N. 3.)

Note. The collision of vowel sounds in these nouns is often caused by dropping the final consonant of the stem, usually σ or Ϝ. (See § 45, 1, Note.)

1. Nouns in ης and ος, gen. εος, are contracted whenever ε of the stem precedes a vowel.

Note. A comparison of kindred languages shows that the original stem of these nouns ended in εσ, in which σ is dropped before a vowel or another σ in the case-ending (§ 16, 4, Note). The genitive γένεος, therefore, stands for an original form γενεσ-ος, which, however, is never found in Greek. (See § 56, Note.) The proper substantive stems change εσ to οσ in the nominative singular (as in γένος, τεῖχος); the adjective stems lengthen εσ to ης in the masculine and feminine, and retain εσ in the neuter. (See § 66.) A few adjectives in ηρης are used substantively, as τριήρης (triply fitted, sc. ναῦς), trireme.

2. The nouns (ἡ) τριήρης (τριηρεσ-), trireme, and (τὸ) γένος (γενεσ-), race, are thus declined: —

Note 1. Like the singular of τριήρης are declined proper names in ης, gen. (εος) ους, as Δημοσθένης, Σωκράτης: for accusatives in ην see § 60, 1 (b); and for the accent of the vocatives Δημόσθενες, Σώκρατες, &c., see § 25, 1, Note. Τριήρης has recessive accent in the contracted genitive and dative dual and gen. plural. Some other adjectives in ης have this in all forms (§ 25, 1, N.; § 66).

Note 2. When the termination εα is preceded by a vowel, it is generally contracted into ᾱ; as ὑγιής, healthy, accus. sing. ὑγιέα, ὑγιᾶ (sometimes ὑγιῆ); χρέος, debt, N. A. V. plur. χρέα. In the dual, εε is irregularly contracted into η.

Note 3. Proper names in κληης are doubly contracted in the dative, sometimes in the accusative. Περικλέης, Pericles, is thus declined (see also § 59, 3): —

Note 4. In proper names in κληης Homer has ῆος, ῆϊ, ῆα, Herodotus έος (for έεος), έϊ, έα. In adjectives in εης Homer sometimes contracts εε to ει: as, εὐκλέης, acc. plur. εὐκλεῖας for εὐκλέεας.

Nouns in ις and ι (stems in ι), υς and υ (stems in υ), contract only the dative singular, and the nominative, accusative, and vocative plural. Nouns in ευς generally contract only the dative singular and the nominative and vocative plural.

1. Most stems in ι, with a few in υ, change their final ι or υ to ε in all cases except the nominative, accusative, and vocative singular.

The nouns (ἡ) πόλις, city (stem πολι-), πῆχυς, cubit (πηχυ-), and ἄστυ, city (ἀστυ-), are thus declined: —

Note 1. Nouns in ι are declined like ἄστυ; as (τὸ) σίναπι, mustard, gen. σινάπεος, dat. (σινάπεϊ), σινάπει, &c.

Note 2. The genitives in εως and εων of nouns in ις and υς accent the antepenult. So genitives in εως of nouns in υ. The dual rarely contracts εε to η or ει.

Note 3. The original ι of the stem of nouns in ις (Attic gen. εως) is retained in Ionic. Thus, πόλις, πόλιος, (πόλιϊ) πόλι, πόλιν; plur. πόλιες, πολίων; Hom. πολίεσσι (Hdt. πόλισι), πόλιας (Hdt. πόλις). Homer has also πόλεϊ (with πόλει) and πόλεσι in the dative. There are also Epic forms πόληος, πόληϊ, πόληες, πόληας. The Attic poets have a genitive in εος. The Ionic has a genitive in εος in nouns in υς of this class.

2. Most nouns in υς retain υ and are regular; as (ὁ) ἰχθύς (ἰχθυ-), fish, which is thus declined:—

Note 1. Ἔγχελυς, eel, is declined like ἰχθύς in the singular, and like πῆχυς in the plural.

Note 2. Adjectives in υς are declined in the masculine like πῆχυς, and in the neuter like ἄστυ. But the masculine genitive ends in εος (like the neuter); and εος and εα are not contracted. (See § 67.) Ἄστυ is the principal noun in υ; its genitive ἄστεως is poetic.

3. Nouns in ευς retain ευ in the nominative and vocative singular and dative plural; as (ὁ) βασιλεύς, king (stem βασιλευ-), which is thus declined: —

Note 1. The stem of nouns in ευς changed ευ to εϜ (§ 1, Note 2) before a vowel of the ending. Afterwards Ϝ was dropped, leaving the stem in ε. (See § 54, Note.) The cases of these nouns are therefore perfectly regular, except in ως of the genitive, and long ᾱ and ᾱς of the accusative, where εως, εᾱ, εᾱς come (by interchange of quantity) from the Epic ηος, ηᾱ, ηᾱς (Note 4).

Note 2. The older Attic writers (as Thucydides) have ῆς (contracted from ῆες, N. 4) in the nominative plural of nouns in ευς; as ἱππῆς, βασιλῆς, for ἱππεῖς, βασιλεῖς. In the accusative plural, εᾱς usually remains uncontracted; but here εῖς is sometimes found, rarely ῆς.

Note 3. When a vowel precedes, εως of the genitive singular may be contracted into ῶς, and εᾱ of the accusative singular into ᾶ; rarely εᾱς of the accusative plural into ᾶς, and εων of the genitive plural into ῶν. Thus, Πειραιεύς, Peiraeus, gen. Πειραιέως, Πειραιῶς, accus. Πειραιέα, Πειραιᾶ; [χοεύς] a kind of measure, gen. χοέως, χοῶς, acc. χοέα, χοᾶ, χοέας, χοᾶς; Δωριεύς, Dorian, gen. plur. Δωριέων, Δωριῶν, acc. Δωριέας, Δωριᾶς.

Note 4. In nouns in ευς, the Doric and Ionic have e.g. βασιλέος for βασιλέως; the Epic has βασιλῆος, βασιλῆϊ, βασιλῆα; βασιλῆες, βασιλήων, βασιλήεσσι, βασιλῆας.