To the remaining liquid, _m_, little value seems to have been attached in Latin. In verse it was elided before a vowel; in verbs it was universally omitted from the first person of the present tense, although it was originally its characteristic, and was only retained in _sum_ and _inquam_: it was also omitted in other words, as _omne_ for _omnem_;[71] and Cato the Censor was in the habit of putting _dice_ and _facie_ for _dicam_(or _dicem_) and _faciam_ (_faciem_.) As the Roman _x_ was nothing more than a double letter compounded of _g_ or _c_ and _s_, as _rego_, _regsi_, _rexi_; _dico_, _dicsi_, _dixi_, the only consonant now remaining for consideration is the sibilant _s_. The principal position which it occupies in Latin is as corresponding to the aspirate in Greek words derived from the same Pelasgic roots. Thus ὓς, ἓξ, ὓλη, &c., are represented by _sus_, _sex_, _silva_. This may possibly be accounted for by the fact that S is in reality a very powerful aspirate. It is only necessary to try the experiment, in order to prove that a strong expiration produces a hissing sound. Those words which in classical Greek are written without an aspirate, such as εἰ, ἄναξ, &c., which, nevertheless, have an _s_ in Latin, as si, senex, &c., may possibly have been at one period pronounced with the stronger breathing. The most remarkable change, however, which has taken place with respect to this letter, in the transition from the old to the classical Latin, is the substitution of _r_ for _s_. Thus _Fusius_, _Papisius_, _eso_, _arbos_, &c., become _Furius_, _Papirius_, _ero_, _arbor_, &c. The following table exhibits the principal changes undergone by the vowels and diphthongs:— _In modern Latin._ _In ancient Latin._ E was represented by i, sometimes u, as luci, condumnari, I was represented by u, ei, e, o optume, nominus, preivatus, dedit, senatuos. U was represented by oi, ou, o quoius, ploirume, douco, honc. Æ was represented by ai Aidiles. Œ was represented by oi proilium. The vowels were sometimes doubled, as leegi, luuci, haace.[72] In the grammatical inflexions, the principal difference between the old and the new Latin is, that in nouns the old forms were longer, and assumed their modern form by a process of contraction, and that the ablative ended in _d_, as _Gnaivod_, _sententiad_; consequently the adverbial termination was the same as _suprad_, _bonod_, _malod_. The same termination appears in the form of _tod_ in the singular number of the imperative mood. CHAPTER III. SATURNIAN METRE—OPINIONS RESPECTING ITS ORIGIN—EARLY EXAMPLES OF THIS METRE—SATURNIAN BALLADS IN LIVY—STRUCTURE OF THE VERSE—INSTANCES OF RHYTHMICAL POETRY.