152 The following are the case-endings of the masculine noun in the singular number. Comparative philology teaches us that the nominative case-ending of the noun, denoting the subject, is to be referred to the second pronominal element, which indicates relative proximity. To this the genitive, denoting removal from the subject, adds the third pronominal element under the form The dative, which denotes juxta-position, repeats the second element under the form -. The accusative, denoting the object, is content with the third element alone.

-V.

153 The plural is formed from the singular by the addition of

154 The dual presents abridged forms of the plural.

155 The feminine case-endings are generally distinguished from the masculine by the substitution of -oa- for -σ-.

Sometimes

by a reduplication of this termination, as -ta for -ia-σa, or -d-s for -o-s. Comparative philology shows that this extension is due to the wish to express more strongly the relative and collective nature of things conceived as feminine or maternal.

156 The neuter has, strictly speaking, no nominative, but uses for that purpose the accusative, originally in - or -v: it has no plural in -s of this case, but substitutes, for the singular -τ or -v, the combination -vτ, which is invariably softened into -ă (107). In other respects, the neuter inflexions do not differ from

the masculine.

1 As the dual is, in itself, a corrupted form of the plural, it is sufficient to give one

example of the changes or confusions.

157 The case-endings are differently affected by the different terminations of the crude or uninflected form. These differences are called declensions (κλίσεις), and are three in number: (I) the -a declension, when the uninflected form ends in -a, or when the noun is feminine in -σα, -ια, -α: (ΙΙ) the -o declension, when the uninflected form ends in -o: and (III) the consonant declension, when the uninflected form ends in a consonant or in - or -v, which are ultimate states of consonants (above, 20, b).

159 Sometimes -ta is, through -ea, contracted into n, the uncontracted form being generally obsolete, except in some proper names, as Βορέας, Βορέου, where it remains uncontracted, and Ἑρμέας, Ἑρμῆς, where both forms are retained throughout the singular, thus: