LESSON IV
Third Declension, Singular
The third declension of nouns in Greek is more rich and varied than the other two, and, besides, is distinguished by a peculiarity from which the others are free, viz. while in the first and second declensions all that requires to be done in forming the cases is to change the last syllable of the nominative commencing with a vowel, leaving the main body of the word unchanged, as ἡμέρα,-ας, ἄργυρ-ος,-ου, in the third we observe that the final consonant of the root seems in many cases to have been assimilated or absorbed by the termination of the nominative,and reappears in the other cases, as in ἐλπίς, genitive ἐλπίδος. Sometimes also the vowel of the last syllable of the nominative is shortened before the addition of the genitival termination, as in ποιμήν, ποιμένος. In some classes of nouns no change is made, and the analogy of the two other declensions is followed throughout. We shall take our examples from the more simple classes, leaving the more complex and exceptional to be learned in the course of reading.
The general type is—
and a number of words signifying a dwelling-place, as—
and nicknames of men:
And to this class which follows the analogy of the other declensions our first colloquy is confined.
(1) ὁρᾷς τὸν ἀροτῆρα τῷ ἀρότρῳ κόπτοντα τὴν γῆν;do you see the ploughman cutting up the ground with his plough?χρήσιμον τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο καὶ ἀναγκαῖον,this is a useful and necessary work.ἰσχυρὸν ἔχει ἵππον ὁ ἀροτήρ,the ploughman has a strong horse.τίνος ἐστὶν ἡ εἰκὼν ἐκείνη;what likeness is that?τοῦ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν,the likeness of Jesus Christ our Saviour.θεῖον πάνυ τὸ πρόσωπον,an altogether divine countenance.τίς ἐστιν ἡ βίβλος ἐκείνη ἡ λαμπρά;what is that grand book?ἡ γεωγραφία τοῦ Στράβωνος,the geography of Strabo.τί πίνεις ἐκ τοῦ κρατῆρος ἐκείνου;what are you drinking out of that bowl?πίνομεν τὸν οἶνον,we are drinking wine.δός μοι τὸν τρίβωνα τὸν παλαιόν,give me my old cloak.ἐκ μικροῦ σπινθῆρος δεινὴ πολλάκις ἀνάπτεται φλόξ,from a small spark often a fearful flame arises.ὡς γράφει ὁ Ἀπόστολος Ἰάκωβος,as James the Apostle writes.καίτοι τί ταῦτα λέγεις;but why do you say this?φοβεῖ μὲ ὁ πολὺς ἐκεῖνος καπνὸς ὁ ἐκ τῆς καπνοδόχης,I fear that quantity of smoke from the chimney.ἀκούω τοῦ κώδωνος καὶ τῆς τοῦ κλητῆρος φωνῆς ὃς ἐγείρει τοὺς πολίτας,I hear the bell, and the voice of the crier who wakes the people.οὐ σμικρὸς ὁ κίνδῡνος,there is great danger.ἀκούω τοῦ ἀλεκτρυόνος,I hear the cock.
(1) ὁρᾷς τὸν ἀροτῆρα τῷ ἀρότρῳ κόπτοντα τὴν γῆν;do you see the ploughman cutting up the ground with his plough?
χρήσιμον τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο καὶ ἀναγκαῖον,this is a useful and necessary work.
ἰσχυρὸν ἔχει ἵππον ὁ ἀροτήρ,the ploughman has a strong horse.
τίνος ἐστὶν ἡ εἰκὼν ἐκείνη;what likeness is that?
τοῦ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν,the likeness of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
θεῖον πάνυ τὸ πρόσωπον,an altogether divine countenance.
τίς ἐστιν ἡ βίβλος ἐκείνη ἡ λαμπρά;what is that grand book?
ἡ γεωγραφία τοῦ Στράβωνος,the geography of Strabo.
τί πίνεις ἐκ τοῦ κρατῆρος ἐκείνου;what are you drinking out of that bowl?
πίνομεν τὸν οἶνον,we are drinking wine.
δός μοι τὸν τρίβωνα τὸν παλαιόν,give me my old cloak.
ἐκ μικροῦ σπινθῆρος δεινὴ πολλάκις ἀνάπτεται φλόξ,from a small spark often a fearful flame arises.
ὡς γράφει ὁ Ἀπόστολος Ἰάκωβος,as James the Apostle writes.
καίτοι τί ταῦτα λέγεις;but why do you say this?
φοβεῖ μὲ ὁ πολὺς ἐκεῖνος καπνὸς ὁ ἐκ τῆς καπνοδόχης,I fear that quantity of smoke from the chimney.
ἀκούω τοῦ κώδωνος καὶ τῆς τοῦ κλητῆρος φωνῆς ὃς ἐγείρει τοὺς πολίτας,I hear the bell, and the voice of the crier who wakes the people.
οὐ σμικρὸς ὁ κίνδῡνος,there is great danger.
ἀκούω τοῦ ἀλεκτρυόνος,I hear the cock.
(2) Nouns in ωρ and ην shorten the long ultimate vowel of the nominative, as ῥήτωρ, ῥήτορος; ποιμήν, ποιμένος; ὕδωρ, ὕδατος,water.
ὁρᾷς τὸν ποιμένα ἐκεῖνον μετὰ τῶν προβάτων ἐν τῷ λειμῶνι;do you see that shepherd with the sheep in the meadow?ὁρῶ, καὶ τὸν κύνα,I see them and the dog.ἆρα οὖν ἀκούετε τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ δεινοῦ ἐκείνου ῥήτορος;do you hear the voice of that great orator?ἀκούομεν· μᾶλλον δὲ ἀρέσκει ὁ τῶν χελῑδόνωντρισμὸς καὶ τῆς ἀηδόνος τὸ ἆσμα,we hear; but like better the twitter of the swallowsand the song of the nightingale.δίκαίως· αὗται γὰρ κινοῦσι τὸ βαθὺ τῆς ψυχῆς,with good reason; for these stir the depths of the soul.
ὁρᾷς τὸν ποιμένα ἐκεῖνον μετὰ τῶν προβάτων ἐν τῷ λειμῶνι;do you see that shepherd with the sheep in the meadow?
ὁρῶ, καὶ τὸν κύνα,I see them and the dog.
ἆρα οὖν ἀκούετε τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ δεινοῦ ἐκείνου ῥήτορος;do you hear the voice of that great orator?
ἀκούομεν· μᾶλλον δὲ ἀρέσκει ὁ τῶν χελῑδόνωντρισμὸς καὶ τῆς ἀηδόνος τὸ ἆσμα,we hear; but like better the twitter of the swallowsand the song of the nightingale.
δίκαίως· αὗται γὰρ κινοῦσι τὸ βαθὺ τῆς ψυχῆς,with good reason; for these stir the depths of the soul.
(3) Feminines in ́ῐς and ́ᾰς, with the radical δ before the case terminations, as λαμπ́ᾰς,-άδος; ἐλπ́ῐς,-ίδος. Neuters in α have the genitive in τος. Words ending in ψ = πς or βς, as λαῖλαψ, λαίλαπος,a storm; φλέψ, φλεβός,a vein; Κύκλωψ,-ωπος,a Cyclops, Giant Round Eye, lose the σ of the nominative and present π or β before the case termination. In the same way nouns in ξ = κς orγς, by losing the final σ of the compound consonant, cause the single κ or γ to reappear in the oblique cases, as ἱέραξ,a hawk, ἱέρᾱκος; ἀλώπηξ,a fox, gen. ἀλώπεκος; κόραξ, κόρακος,a crow,
ἔρχεται ὁ ὑετός,the rain is coming.οὐδαμῶς,not at all.τὴν ψιλὴν ψεκάδα οὐκ ἔγωγε ὑετὸν λέγω,a thin drizzle I do not call rain.ἐκείνη ἡ νεφέλη σημαίνει λαίλαπα,that cloud foretells a storm.λαμπρὰν ἔχω ἐλπίδα καλῆς ἡμέρας,I have bright hope of a beautiful day.ὁρᾷς ἐκεῖνο τὸ γυναικάριον ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ;do you see that little woman in the field?λέγουσι μαινάδα εἶναι,they say that she is mad.καὶ πιστεύω ἔγωγε,I for one believe it.δός μοι τὴν κρηπῖδα, καὶ τὸν πέτασον καὶ τὴν χλαῖναν,give me my boot, my hat, and my plaid.ποῦστι τὸ ὑπόδημά μου τὸ ἕτερον;where is my other shoe?τί ἔχεις ἐν τῷ στόματι;what have you in your mouth?ἄρτον· χάριν ἔχω τῷ Θεῷ,bread, thank God!τί γράφεις;what are you writing?ποίημα,a poem.πότερον νοῦς ἔστιν ἐν τῷ ποιήματι;is there any sense in the poem?πῶς οὔ; οὐ φυσῶ φυσήματα ἐκ σαπῶνος,of course; I don’t blow soap-bubbles.ὁρᾷς ἐκεῖνον τὸν κόρακα;do you see that crow?ὁρῶ, περιπατεῖ ὡς κληρικὸς σεμνῷ τῷ βήματι,I do; he walks like a clergyman, with a grave step.τί ἐστι τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἐνδόξου ἐκείνου ῥήτορος;what is the name of that famous orator?Γλάδστων,Gladstone.ὄνομα Σκωτικόν,a Scotch name.καὶ μάλα γε· ἔχει γὰρ ἑρμηνείαν τὸ ὄνομα, λίθος ὁ τοῦ ἱέρᾱκος,certainly, for the interpretation of the name isthe stone of the hawk.ἔστι Γλάδστων ὄνομα δήμου τινὸς ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τοῦ Μεσολωθιᾶνος,Gladstone is the name of a parish in Midlothian.τί πράττει ὁ παῖς ἐκεῖνος;what is that boy doing?μαστιγοῖ τὴν βέμβῑκα,he is whipping his top.αὐτὸς μᾶλλον ἄξιος τῆς μάστῑγος, κακοῦργον γὰρ τὸ θρέμμα,himself is more worthy of the whip, for he is a wicked creature.ἔτι δὲ ἀργός· οὐκ ἄξιος τοῦ ἄρτου,also idle; not worthy of his bread.νομίζω ἔγωγε τὸ νῶτον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μάστῑγα ἐγγὺς προσήκειν γένει,I think the whip and his back are nearly related.κακός ἐστιν· ἀλώπεκος καὶ ἄρκτου μῖγμα παράδοξον,he is bad; a strange mixture of a fox and a bear.
ἔρχεται ὁ ὑετός,the rain is coming.
οὐδαμῶς,not at all.
τὴν ψιλὴν ψεκάδα οὐκ ἔγωγε ὑετὸν λέγω,a thin drizzle I do not call rain.
ἐκείνη ἡ νεφέλη σημαίνει λαίλαπα,that cloud foretells a storm.
λαμπρὰν ἔχω ἐλπίδα καλῆς ἡμέρας,I have bright hope of a beautiful day.
ὁρᾷς ἐκεῖνο τὸ γυναικάριον ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ;do you see that little woman in the field?
λέγουσι μαινάδα εἶναι,they say that she is mad.
καὶ πιστεύω ἔγωγε,I for one believe it.
δός μοι τὴν κρηπῖδα, καὶ τὸν πέτασον καὶ τὴν χλαῖναν,give me my boot, my hat, and my plaid.
ποῦστι τὸ ὑπόδημά μου τὸ ἕτερον;where is my other shoe?
τί ἔχεις ἐν τῷ στόματι;what have you in your mouth?
ἄρτον· χάριν ἔχω τῷ Θεῷ,bread, thank God!
τί γράφεις;what are you writing?
ποίημα,a poem.
πότερον νοῦς ἔστιν ἐν τῷ ποιήματι;is there any sense in the poem?
πῶς οὔ; οὐ φυσῶ φυσήματα ἐκ σαπῶνος,of course; I don’t blow soap-bubbles.
ὁρᾷς ἐκεῖνον τὸν κόρακα;do you see that crow?
ὁρῶ, περιπατεῖ ὡς κληρικὸς σεμνῷ τῷ βήματι,I do; he walks like a clergyman, with a grave step.
τί ἐστι τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἐνδόξου ἐκείνου ῥήτορος;what is the name of that famous orator?
Γλάδστων,Gladstone.
ὄνομα Σκωτικόν,a Scotch name.
καὶ μάλα γε· ἔχει γὰρ ἑρμηνείαν τὸ ὄνομα, λίθος ὁ τοῦ ἱέρᾱκος,certainly, for the interpretation of the name isthe stone of the hawk.
ἔστι Γλάδστων ὄνομα δήμου τινὸς ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τοῦ Μεσολωθιᾶνος,Gladstone is the name of a parish in Midlothian.
τί πράττει ὁ παῖς ἐκεῖνος;what is that boy doing?
μαστιγοῖ τὴν βέμβῑκα,he is whipping his top.
αὐτὸς μᾶλλον ἄξιος τῆς μάστῑγος, κακοῦργον γὰρ τὸ θρέμμα,himself is more worthy of the whip, for he is a wicked creature.
ἔτι δὲ ἀργός· οὐκ ἄξιος τοῦ ἄρτου,also idle; not worthy of his bread.
νομίζω ἔγωγε τὸ νῶτον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μάστῑγα ἐγγὺς προσήκειν γένει,I think the whip and his back are nearly related.
κακός ἐστιν· ἀλώπεκος καὶ ἄρκτου μῖγμα παράδοξον,he is bad; a strange mixture of a fox and a bear.
(4) Nouns in ῑς and ῡς have ν in the objective, as σῦς,a pig; ἰχθ́ῡς,a fish, κ́ῑς,a woodworm. Also those in ῐς and ῠς, as πόλις,a city, πόλιν; ὄφις,a snake, ὄφιν; πῆχυς,a forearm, πῆχυν. These have the genitive in εως, and the dative in ει, as πόλεως, πόλει.
πατήρ,a father, and μήτηρ,a mother, have πατρός and μητρός in genitive, and πατρί and μητρί in dative; but the objective is in the regular form with the short penult πατέρα. θυγάτηρ,a daughter, follows the same rule, ἀνήρ has ἀνδρός, ἀνδρί, ἄνδρα.
βασιλεύς,a king, and ἱερεύς,a priest, have the genitive in έως, and the dative in εῖ, like πόλις, but the objective is έα. βοῦς,an ox, has βοός, βοί, and βοῦν.
γυνή,a woman, has genitive and dative -αικός, -αικί, and objective -αῖκα.
ὁρᾷς τὸν καλὸν ἰχθ́ῡν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι;do you see that beautiful fish in the water?ὁρῶ, στίλβει τὸ θρέμμα, ὥσπερ μαργαρίτης,yes, the creature glances like a pearl.ἕτερον πάνυ ὁ σῦς ὁ ῥυπαρὸς ἐν τῷ συφεῷ,very different is the filthy pig in the sty.μῑσῶ τὸν σῦν,I hate the pig.ὅμως χοῖρος σιτευτὸς λαμπρὸν ἄγαλμα τοῦ δείπνου,nevertheless a fatted pig—bacon—is the great glory of a dinner.ὁρᾷς τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ πόᾳ;do you see the snake in the grass?μῑσῶ τὸ θρέμμα,I hate the creature.διὰ τί;why?ἔχει κίνδῡνον,it is dangerous.φρίττω τὸ ζῷον,πρόσωπόν γε τοῦ διαβόλου,I shudder at the creature, a mask of the devil.ἔχει πατέρα ὁ ὄφις τὸν Σατανᾶν,the snake has Satan for his father.πολλὰ ἔχει πρόσωπα ὁ διάβολος,the devil has many masks.αἱρετώτερον δὲ καλῆς γυναικὸς τὸ πρόσωπον,specially that of a fair woman.καὶ δὴ καὶ ἱερέως ὑπερηφάνου,and that of a proud priest.ἔτι δὲ βασιλέως ἀνόμου καὶ τυράννου ὠμοῦ,also of a lawless king, and a cruel tyrant.καὶ ἀνδρὸς ἑκάστου τῶν ἐν πόλει ὅσοι πονηροί,and of any bad man in the town.
ὁρᾷς τὸν καλὸν ἰχθ́ῡν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι;do you see that beautiful fish in the water?
ὁρῶ, στίλβει τὸ θρέμμα, ὥσπερ μαργαρίτης,yes, the creature glances like a pearl.
ἕτερον πάνυ ὁ σῦς ὁ ῥυπαρὸς ἐν τῷ συφεῷ,very different is the filthy pig in the sty.
μῑσῶ τὸν σῦν,I hate the pig.
ὅμως χοῖρος σιτευτὸς λαμπρὸν ἄγαλμα τοῦ δείπνου,nevertheless a fatted pig—bacon—is the great glory of a dinner.
ὁρᾷς τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ πόᾳ;do you see the snake in the grass?
μῑσῶ τὸ θρέμμα,I hate the creature.
διὰ τί;why?
ἔχει κίνδῡνον,it is dangerous.
φρίττω τὸ ζῷον,πρόσωπόν γε τοῦ διαβόλου,I shudder at the creature, a mask of the devil.
ἔχει πατέρα ὁ ὄφις τὸν Σατανᾶν,the snake has Satan for his father.
πολλὰ ἔχει πρόσωπα ὁ διάβολος,the devil has many masks.
αἱρετώτερον δὲ καλῆς γυναικὸς τὸ πρόσωπον,specially that of a fair woman.
καὶ δὴ καὶ ἱερέως ὑπερηφάνου,and that of a proud priest.
ἔτι δὲ βασιλέως ἀνόμου καὶ τυράννου ὠμοῦ,also of a lawless king, and a cruel tyrant.
καὶ ἀνδρὸς ἑκάστου τῶν ἐν πόλει ὅσοι πονηροί,and of any bad man in the town.
(5) Adjectives of this declension occur most commonly in one of these three forms—
(α) ων, -ονος, masculine and feminine; ον, neuter—as σώφρων,sound-minded; πρόφρων,forward,ready—like nouns in ωνsupra.(β) ής, as ἀληθής, masculine and feminine; ἀληθές, neuter; genitive in οῦς and dative in εῖ—ὑγιής,healthy; σαφής, -ές,distinct,clear.(γ) ύς, masculine; εῖα, feminine; ύ, neuter; as γλυκύς,sweet; βαρύς,heavy.μέλας,black, has μέλαινα, μέλαν, and τάλας,wretched, the same.
(α) ων, -ονος, masculine and feminine; ον, neuter—as σώφρων,sound-minded; πρόφρων,forward,ready—like nouns in ωνsupra.
(β) ής, as ἀληθής, masculine and feminine; ἀληθές, neuter; genitive in οῦς and dative in εῖ—ὑγιής,healthy; σαφής, -ές,distinct,clear.
(γ) ύς, masculine; εῖα, feminine; ύ, neuter; as γλυκύς,sweet; βαρύς,heavy.
μέλας,black, has μέλαινα, μέλαν, and τάλας,wretched, the same.
ἀληθὲς τὸ δόγμα τοῦτο τὸ περὶ τοῦ διαβόλου,this doctrine about the devil is true.καὶ μάλα γε καὶ βαρύ,yes, and weighty.γλυκὺ τὸ μέλι μετὰ τὸ πικρόν,sweet is honey after sour.δημιουργοὶ αἱ μέλισσαι τοῦ μέλιτος τοῦ γλυκέος,the bees are the makers of sweet honey.βασιλέως γλύκυσμα τὸ μέλι,it is a king’s dainty, honey.στέργομεν σύμπαντες τὰ νώγαλα καὶ τὰ τρωγάλια ἀκόλουθα τοῦ δείπνου,we all like dainties and a dessert to follow the dinner.
ἀληθὲς τὸ δόγμα τοῦτο τὸ περὶ τοῦ διαβόλου,this doctrine about the devil is true.
καὶ μάλα γε καὶ βαρύ,yes, and weighty.
γλυκὺ τὸ μέλι μετὰ τὸ πικρόν,sweet is honey after sour.
δημιουργοὶ αἱ μέλισσαι τοῦ μέλιτος τοῦ γλυκέος,the bees are the makers of sweet honey.
βασιλέως γλύκυσμα τὸ μέλι,it is a king’s dainty, honey.
στέργομεν σύμπαντες τὰ νώγαλα καὶ τὰ τρωγάλια ἀκόλουθα τοῦ δείπνου,we all like dainties and a dessert to follow the dinner.
English Affinities
Gastric juice. Work. Bible. Geography. Crater. Wine. Palæography. Phlox (the name of a flame-coloured flower). Apostle. Police. Rhetorician. Pound. Abyss. Phrenzy. Wet. Phlebotomy. Cyclops. Hydropathy. Mænad. Heterodoxy. Poem. Crow. Genesis. Generation. Mixture. Paradox. Ichthyology. Paternal. Andrew. Alexander. Bovine. Gynæcology. Sow. Devil. Hierarchy. Tyrant. Glycerine. Barometer. Mellifluous.