The Greek Adjectives Ending in -ης

Abstract

It is generally assumed that every adjective ending in -ης is an s-stem like εủγενἠς (gen. εủγενοὖσ from εὖγενἐ(σ)-ος; cf. γἐνος gen. γἐνε(σ)-ος, Lat. genus gener-is , Skr. janas janas-as ) or δνσμευἠς (: μἠνος; cf. Skr. dur-manās gen. dur-manas-as ). Solmsen, for instance, does not hesitate ( Beiträige zur griechischen Wortforschung 16) to regard ὀμ-ηγερἠς (πολμ-ηγερἠς, θνμ ηγερἠσ) as evidence for the s-stem geres which he wishes to find in ἀγοστóς (ἀγο(ρ)σ-τóς), and Bechtel ( Lexilogus 274) infers a stem παγεσ - from ὐπερπαγἠς. The result of this well-nigh universal belief has been that hardly anybody has thought it worth while to examine these words carefully.