Variation

Variation of Stem Formation.—Many words of the third declension show traces of an original variation of stem that is due to the influence of a shifting accent which is seen in some of the cognate languages. In Greek this variation has often been obscured by the analogy of other forms. Thus πατέρων, in comparison with Hom. πατρῶν, Lat. patrum, gets its ε from πατέρες.

a. Variation of stem is seen in ων, ον (259); ηρ, ερ, ρα (262); ης, εσ- (264); in stems in ι, ει (270); υ, ευ (270); ευ, ηυ (278); οι, ω (279), etc. Words in ων, ην show a middle form ον, εν, and a weak form in ν (250 N.).

b. Several words ending in ρ show a parallel stem in τ; thus, ὕδωρ water ὕδατ-ος, ἧπαρ liver ἥπατ-ος, φρέᾱρ tank φρέᾱτ-ος (but poet. δάμᾱρ wife δάμαρτ-ος). The reason for this change is uncertain, but ατ is derived from ντ after a consonant (35 b): ὑδντος, ἡπντος, cp. Lat. jecinoris, nom. jecur. ἧπαρ is probably derived from ἡπαρτ (133).

c. -ατος was transferred from such genitives as ὀνόματος, ἥπατος to other neuter words: γόνατος from γόνυ knee, instead of γονϝ-ος, whence Hom. γουνός. φῶς light, for φάος (stem φαεσ-), has taken on the τ inflection (φωτ-ός, etc.).

d. Neuter stems in -ες show -ος in the nominative. Cp. ἔτος year (stem ἐτεσ-) with Lat. vetus, veter-is (for vetes-is).

Stem Variation.—Stems ending in ευ, αυ, ου lose υ before case endings beginning with a vowel, υ̯ passing into ϝ (43). Stems in ευ show the pure form only in the vocative; other forms are derived from the stronger stem ηυ. ηυ and ᾱυ before a consonant become ευ, ᾰυ (40) as in βασιλεύς, βασιλεῦσι, ναῦς, ναυσί from βασιληυς, νᾱυς, etc. From βασιλῆ(ϝ)-ος, -ῆ(ϝ)-ι, -ῆ(ϝ)-α, -ῆ(ϝ)-ας come, by transfer of quantity (34), the Attic forms. So νεώς is derived from νη(ϝ)-ός. In βασιλέων, νεῶν, ε is shortened from the η of βασιλήων, νηῶν by 39. βο-ός, etc. are from the stem βου- βοϝ-, cp. Lat. bovis.

Variation of Quantity.—a. In poetry the quantity of ι in words in -ις may differ from that of prose; as in tragedy ὄρνῐς bird, κόνῑς dust, ὄφῑς serpent (in prose ὄρνῑς, κόνῐς, ὄφῐς); so in Pind. ἰχθύ̆ς (prose ἰχθῡ́ς) fish.

b. κῆρῠξ herald, Φοῖνῐξ Phoenician, μάστῐξ whip have long υ and ι in the oblique cases except the dat. pl. (κήρῡκος, Φοίνῑκι, μάστῑγα, etc.). ἀλώπηξ fox has ε in the gen. ἀλώπεκος, etc., by analogy to such words as ποιμήν, ποιμένος (ἀλωπήκων occurs in Ionic). πῦρ fire has πῠρός, πῠρί, etc. (285, 25).

The verb-stem may show numerous modifications in form.

Thus, corresponding to the gradations in sing, sang, sung (35), the verb λείπ-ω leave shows the stems λειπ-, λοιπ- (2 perf. λέ-λοιπ-α), λιπ- (2 aor. ἔ-λιπ-ο-ν); the verb φεύγ-ω flee shows φευγ- and φυγ- (2 aor. ἔ-φυγ-ο-ν). In ῥήγνῡμι break we find the three stems ῥηγ, ῥωγ (2 perf. ἔρρωγα), ῥαγ (2 aor. pass. ἐρράγην). στέλλ-ω send has the stems στελ- and σταλ- (perf. ἔ-σταλ-κα, 2 fut. pass. σταλ-ήσομαι).

a. When the fundamental stem shows modifications, it is customary for convenience to call its shorter (or shortest) form the verb-stem, and to derive the other forms from it. The student must, however, beware of assuming that the short forms are older than the other forms.

The verb-stem may also show modifications in quantity, as present λῡ́-ω loose, perfect λέ-λῠ-κα.

N.—Various causes produce this variation. λῡ́ω has ῡ from analogy to λῡ́-σω, ἔ-λῡ-σα where the verb-stem λῠ has been regularly lengthened (534, 543). For Attic φθάνω anticipate Hom. has φθᾱ́νω for φθανϝω (28, 147 D.).

The preposition in the second of two closely connected clauses may be different from that used in the first clause either (1) when the relation is essentially the same or (2) when it is different. Thus (1) ἔκ τε τῆς Κερκῡ́ρᾱς καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἠπείρου from Corcyra and the mainland T. 7.33, and (2) οὔτε κατὰ γῆν οὔτε διὰ θαλάσσης neither by land nor by (the help of the, the medium of the) sea 1. 2. Cp. 1668.