[565]. Greek stems in -i- are usually declined like Latin ones, with the accusative in -im, and ablative in -ī. But the accusative sometimes has -n: as, poēsin, poetry, Charybdin; similarly Capyn; and a vocative occurs: as, Charybdi. The plural genitive Metamorphōseōn, and as ablative Metamorphōsesin, occur as titles of books.
[CHARACTERISTICS OF STEMS IN -i-.]
[566]. Parisyllables with nominatives in -is, -ēs, or -e, and a few in -er; and imparisyllables with nominatives in -al, and in -ar for -āre, have stems in -i-.
But canis, iuvenis ([486]), volucris ([490]), mēnsis ([492]), sēdēs ([476]), and vātēs ([478]), have consonant stems.
[567]. Under -i- stems may also conveniently be grouped the following classes, which have usually a consonant form in the singular, and an -i- form in the plural:
[568]. (a.) Imparisyllabic adjectives with the genitive in -is, except comparatives and the dozen with consonant stems ([624]), and imparisyllables with a nominative in -s or -x preceded by any consonant except p. But cōniūnx ([472]) and caelebs ([480]) have consonant stems.
[569]. (b.) The following monosyllables: ās, unit, an as, faex, dregs, fraus, deceit, glīs, dormouse, līs, strife, lūx, light, mās, male, mūs, mouse, nox, night, stirps, trunk, vīs, strength. Also fauce, throat, and compede, fetter, both Ab., no N., and fornāx, furnace.
GENDER OF CONSONANT STEMS AND -i- STEMS.
[570]. The gender of many of these substantives is determined by their meaning ([404-412]); that of participles used as substantives follows the gender of the substantive understood; Greek substantives follow the Greek gender. The gender of other words may be conveniently arranged for the memory according to the nominative endings as follows.
MASCULINE.