Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #245: 3rd-Declension Plurals

The focus for today's lesson is the plural form of 3rd-declension nouns!

You might recall that the 3rd declension is different from the 1st and 2nd declensions. With 1st- and 2nd-declension nouns and adjectives, you can look at the nominative singular form and see the stem, and then use that stem to make the plural. So the 1st-declension noun aqua has as its stem aqu-, so to make the plural, you just put the -ae ending on: aquae. The 2nd-declension masculine noun hortus has as its stem hort-, so to make the plural, you just put the -i ending on: horti. The 2nd-declension neuter noun saxum has as its stem sax-, so to make the plural, you just put the -a ending on: saxa.

But with 3rd-declension nouns, things are different: sometimes you can see the stem in the nominative form, but sometimes not. To be sure, you need to look at one of the inflected forms (genitive, dative, accusative, ablative) to see the stem; the genitive form is the one that is given in the dictionary. So, after you find the stem of the noun or adjective, you can add the plural ending, which is -es. I've provided the genitive form for each of the 3rd-declension plurals below, and you can always use the wiktionary to look up the stems as well; here is mitis at the wiktionary, for example.

To get started, here is the slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before... and you already know almost all the words in today's sayings!

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Beati mites.
Blessed (are the) meek.
be-A-ti mites.

You know all the words in this saying!

The word mites is the plural form of the adjective mitis (genitive form is also mitis, so the stem is mit-). The adjective is being used substantively, as a noun: mites, "meek (people)."

The word beati is the plural form of the adjective beatus (2nd-declension masculine).

This famous saying comes from the Biblical Gospel of Matthew, in the "Sermon on the Mount." This is the entire verse: Beati mites : quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land."

2. Omnes eodem luto.
All (people are from the) same clay.
omnes e-O-dem luto.

The word omnes is the plural form of the adjective omnis (genitive form is also omnis, so the stem is omn-). This adjective is also being used substantively, as a noun: "all (people)."

The word luto is the ablative form of lutum, in the sense of origin: all people come from the same clay. The word eodem is a special kind of adjective that you'll learn about later: it is eo-dem, also ablative, meaning "the same."

The idea is that rich or poor, man or woman, from any country, from any time, we are all born from the same clay.

3. Mendaces Cretenses.
Cretans (are) liars.
men-DA-ces Cre-TEN-ses.

The word mendaces is the plural form of the adjective mendax (genitive form is mendacis, so the stem is mendac-).

The word Cretenses is the plural form of the adjective Cretensis (genitive form is also Cretensis, so the stem is Cretens-). This is another adjective being used substantively, as a noun: "Cretan (people)," i.e. "Cretans."

Cretans were proverbial for telling lies in the ancient world, and it was this assumption that gave rise to a philosophical paradox: "Everything I say is a lie." You can read more about the liars' paradox at Wikipedia.

4. Neque mel, neque apes.
Neither honey, nor bees.
neque mel, neque apes.

You know all the words in this saying too.

The word apes is the plural form of the noun apis (genitive form is also apis, so the stem is ap-).

The pair neque...neque... literally means "and not... and not..." — but it is used just like English "neither... nor..."

This saying refers to people who would rather renounce something pleasant, like mel, because they do not want to cope with the associated discomfort: the apes. Here is a commentary by Taverner, an Elizabethan writer: "I have neither honie, nor bees. As who should say: I have no hony, bycause I have no bees, nor will not take the paines, to kepe and abide the bitinge and stinginge of them."

5. Aquae furtivae dulciores.
Stolen waters (are) sweeter.
aquae fur-TI-vae dulci-O-res.

And these words are all familiar too!

The word dulciores is the plural form of the adjective dulcior (genitive form is dulcioris, so the stem is dulcior-).

The word aquae is the plural form of the noun aqua (1st-declension feminine), and the adjective furtivae is also feminine plural, 1st-declension.

You've seen a variation on this saying before: Furtiva Venus dulcior. This version comes from the Biblical Book of Proverbs: Aquae furtivae dulciores sunt, et panis absconditus suavior, "Stolen waters aer sweeter, and concealed bread tastes more delightful."

Here's a recap: