Monday, April 21, 2025

16.07.25: Level 3; review: the reflexive pronoun sē

[i] The third person reflexive pronoun i.e. the equivalent of ‘himself, herself, itself, and themselves’ is given below; note [i] the 3rd person reflexive pronoun distinguishes neither gender nor number, and [ii] there is no nominative since the reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the sentence.

Nominative: -

Genitive: suī

Dative: sibi

Accusative: sē; sēsē

Ablative: sē; sēsē

[ii] Examples:

ex nāvī prōiēcit. (Caesar) │ He threw himself from the ship.

Dumnorīgem ad vocat. (Caesar) │ He calls Dumnorix to him (i.e. to himself).

Sēsē castrīs tenēbant. (Caesar) │ They kept themselves in the camp.

Cōpiam frūctuum sibi cōnficiunt. │ They collect a supply of fruit for themselves.

Per labor perfecit. │ He completed the task by his own effort (i.e. by means of himself).

Puer in flūmine lavat. │ The boy is washing (himself) in the river.

[iii] As with other pronouns, when cum is used with the ablative reflexive pronoun , it is attached to the end of the pronoun:

Sēcum: with himself / herself / itself / themselves

Dūxit sēcum virginem. │ He took the young woman with him (i.e. with himself).

Exercise

Give an appropriate translation of the reflexive pronoun.

[1] Dea in lacū spectat. │ She gazes ____ ____ in the lake.

[2] Dīves sibi pecūniam dedit. │ The wealthy man gave ____ the money.

[3] Nauta in mare praecipitāvit. │ The sailor threw ____ into the sea.

[4] Vōcālis syllabam per facere potest. │ A vowel can make a syllable ____ ____.

[5] Dominus servum ad vocāvit. │ The master called the slave ____ ____.

[6] Obsidēs in carcere sēsē necāvērunt. │ The hostages killed ____ in the prison.

[7] Pater fīlium cum dūxit. │ The father took his son ____ ____.

[8] Rēx magnās dīvitiās sibi obtinuit. │ The king acquired great riches ____ ____.

[iv] Latin has no separate 1st and 2nd person reflexive pronouns; the personal pronouns are used. Again, note in the examples where English does not always express the reflexive pronoun if the context is clear.

Mortī obtulī. │ I have exposed myself to death.

Dōnum mihi tenēbō. │ I shall keep the gift for myself.

Mihi numquam ignōscam. [ignōscō,-ere (3) + Dative] │ I shall never forgive myself.

Quōmodo habēs hodiē? │ How are you (i.e. how are you holding yourself) today?

Cūr in spēluncā cēlāvistī? │ Why did you hide (yourself) in a cave?

Cūr tibi persuādēre nōn potes? [persuādeō, -ere (2) + Dative] │ Why can’t you convince yourself?

Nōs numquam culpābimus. │ We shall never blame ourselves.

Nōs ad septentriōnēs vertimus. │ We turned (ourselves) to the north.

Nōbīs numquam ignōscēmus. [ignōscō,-ere (3) + Dative] │ We shall never forgive ourselves.

Vōs fraudāvistis. │ You’ve cheated yourselves.

Date vōbīs virōs sapientēs et gnārōs. │ Give yourselves wise and experienced men.

Exercise

Complete the Latin sentences with the appropriate reflexive pronoun.

[1] ____ rogāvī iterum iterumque. │ I asked myself again and again.

[2] ____ domum aedificāvī. │ I’ve built a house for myself.

[3] Pōtēsne ____ in speculō vidēre? │ Can you see yourself in the mirror?

[4] Cūr ____ nōn ignōscētis? [What case is used with ignōscō, -ere?]│ Why will you not forgive yourselves?

[5] Vertite ____ ad mē. │ Turn (yourselves) to me.

[6] ____ in plūribus fallimus. │ We are wrong (i.e. deceive ourselves) in many things.

[7] Parce ____. [parcō, -ere [3] + Dative] │ Forgive yourself [ = be lenient to yourself].

[8] ____ persuādēre nōn possumus. [What case is used with persuādeō, -ēre?]│ We can’t convince ourselves.

nōs; nōbīs; mihi; mē; vōs; vōbīs; tē; tibi

____________________

[1] rogāvī iterum iterumque. │ I asked myself again and again.

[2] Mihi domum aedificāvī. │ I’ve built a house for myself.

[3] Pōtēsne  in speculō vidēre? │ Can you see yourself in the mirror?

[4] Cūr vōbīs nōn ignōscētis?│ Why will you not forgive yourselves?

[5] Vertite vōs ad mē. │ Turn (yourselves) to me.

[6] Nōs in plūribus fallimus. │ We are wrong (i.e. deceive ourselves) in many things.

[7] Parce tibi. │ Forgive youself.

[8] Nōbīs persuādēre nōn possumus. │ We can’t convince ourselves.

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