family, familiās being an old Gen. of familia, Declen. 1), Acc. pătrem-fămĭliās, and so on. So also māter-fămĭliās f. filius-fămilĭas m.
rēs-pūblica f. common-weal, state; Acc. rem-pūblicam, and so on.
iūs-iūandum n. oath; Gen. irūs-mrandī, and so on.
§280. Heterogeneous Nouns.—Some Nouns of the Second Declension change their gender in the Plural:
| ăcinus | m. | berry | Pl. ăcĭnī or ăcĭnă. |
| carbăsus | f. | canvas | PI. carbăsă sails. |
| iŏcus | m. | jest | Pl. iŏcā or iŏcī |
| lŏ | m. | place | Pl. lŏcā (lŏci in special senses). |
| sībĭlus | m. | hiss | PL sībĭlă. |
| frēnum | n. | bit | Pl. frēnī m. or frēna. |
| rātrum | n. | harrow | Pl. rāstrī or rāstră. |
Also certain Greek geographical names in -ŭs, which are used both in Singular and Plural, are Neuter in Plural, as: Avernus Avernă, Maenălus Maenălă, Taenărus Taenără.[1]
§ 281. Nouns which vary their Declension (Heteroclite Nouns).—Many names of Trees in -us are declined according to both the Second and the Fourth Declension, as: pīnus f.pine, G. pīnī or pīnūs, Dat. pīnō or pīnū (for pīnuī), Abl. pīnū. N. Plur. pīnūs, A. pīnōs or pīnūs, G. pīnōrum, D. Abl. pīnīs. (Compare dŏmus, § 25.)
In cŭpressus cypress, fāgus beech', fīcus, fig-tree, laurus bay, myrtus myrtle, the Second Declension forms prevail; in quercus oak those of Fourth except Gen, Plur. quercōrum.
Note also:
rēquies f. rest (Third and Fifth Declension); Acc. rĕquiem (less often rĕquiētem), G. rĕquiētis, Abl. rĕquiē (rarely rĕquiētĕ). No Plural.
iūgĕerum, -ī n. acre has D. Abl. Plur. iūgĕrĭbus (Third Declension). The G. Plur. is iūmgĕrum.
vās n. G. vāsis vessel has G. Plur. vāsōrum, D. Abl. vāsīs.
balneum (bălĭneum) -ī n, bath; Plur. balnea, etc., baths, and balneae; etc., f. (First Declension) public baths.
ĕpŭlum, -ī n. banquet; Plur. ĕpŭlae f. (in Sing, sense).
pĕnŭs f. provisions (Fourth Declension) has another form, pĕn-us, -ŏris n. pĕn-um, -ī is also found.
- ↑ ' Tempē is Neuter Plural.
