We must have regard to the oblique cases, especially in nouns imparasyllabic, when we have an antient term transmitted to us either from the Greeks or Romans. The nominative, in both languages, is often abridged; so that, from the genitive of the word, or from the possessive, the original term is to be deduced. This will be found to obtain even in common names. From veteris we have veter for the true term; from sanguinis we have sanguen: and that this is right we may prove from Ennius, who says:
[[565]]O! pater, O! genitor, O! sanguen diis oriundum.
[[566]]Cum veter occubuit Priamus sub marte Pelasgo.
So mentis, and not mens, was the true nominative to mentis, menti, mentem; as we may learn from the same author:
[[567]]Istic est de sole sumptus ignis, isque mentis est.
In like manner Plebes was the nominative to Plebi and Plebem.
Deficit alma Ceres, nec plebes pane potitur.
Lucilius.
All the common departments of the Deities are to be set aside, as inconsistent and idle. Pollux will be found a judge; Ceres, a law-giver; Bacchus, the God of the year; Neptune, a physician; and Æsculapius, the God of thunder: and this not merely from the poets; but from the best mythologists of the Grecians, from those who wrote professedly upon the subject.
I have observed before, that the Grecians in foreign words often changed the Nu final to Sigma. For Keren, they wrote Κερας; for Cohen, Κωης; for Athon, Αθως; for Boun, Βους; for Sain, Σαϊς.