ADJECTIVES OF IRREGULAR DECLENSION
[*] 311. The irregular adjectives
μέγας great (stems
μεγα- and
μεγαλο-) and
πολύς much (stems
πολυ- and
πολλο-) are thus declined:
a. Except in the forms
μέγας, μέγαν, μέγα, the adjective
μέγας is inflected as if the nominative sing. masc. were
μεγάλος. μέγας is sometimes found in the voc. sing. Except in
πολύς, πολύν, πολύ, the adjective
πολύς is inflected as if the nominative sing. masc. were
πολλός.
b. The stem
πολλο- is from
πολ[υγλιδε]ο-, i.e.
πολϝο-, λϝ being assimilated to
λλ.
c. πρᾷος mild forms its masc. and neuter sing. and dual from the stem
πρᾳο-; its fem. in all numbers from the stem
πρα_ϋ-, as nom.
πρα_εῖα for
πρα_ε[υγλιδε]-ια formed like
ἡδεῖα (297 a). Thus
πρᾷος, πρα_εῖα, πρᾷον, G.
πρᾴου, πρα_εία_ς, πρᾴου, etc. In the plural we have
d. Some compounds of
πούς foot (
ποδ-) have
-ουν in the nom. sing. neut. and sometimes in the acc. sing. masc. by analogy to
ἁπλοῦς (
290). Thus,
τρίπους three-footed,
τρίπουν (but acc.
τρίποδα tripod).
[*] 311 D. Hom. has some forms from the stem
πολυ- (
πουλυ-) which are not Attic: G.
πολέος, N. pl.
πολέες, G.
πολέων, D.
πολέεσσι (250 D. 2),
πολέσσι and
πολέσι, A.
πολέας. Hom. has also
πολλός, πολλή, πολλόν (like
ἀγαθός), and these forms are commonly used by Hdt.
πουλύς (for
πολύς) is sometimes fem. in Hom.
