Heavy Construction

300.

1. The reflexive may always be used to refer to the Subject of its own clause (Direct Reflexive): -

• iúdicárí potest quantum habeat in sé boní cónstantia (B. G. i. 40), it can be determined how much good firmness possesses (has in itself).

  

• [Caesar] nóluit eum locum vacáre, né Germání é suís fínibus tránsírent (id, i. 28), Caesar did not wish this place to lie vacant, for fear the Germans would cross over from their territories.

  

• sí qua sígnificátió virtútis élúceat ad quam sé similis animus adplicet at adiungat (Lael. 48), if any sign of virtue shine forth to which a similar disposition may attach itself.

2. If the Subordinate clause expresses the words or thought of the subject of the main clause, the reflexive is regularly used to refer to that Subject (Indirect Reflexive): -

• petiérunt ut sibi licéret (B. G. i. 30), they begged that it might be allowed them (the petitioners).

  

• Iccius núntium mittit, nisi subsidium sibi submittátur (id. ii. 6), Iccius sends a message that unless relief be furnished him, etc.

  

• decima legió eí grátiás égit, quod dé sé optimum iúdicium fécisset (id. i. 41). the tenth legion thanked him because [they said] he had expressed a high opinion of them.

  

• sí obsidés ab eís (the Helvetians) sibi (Caesar, who is the speaker) dentur, sé (Caesar) cum eís pácem esse factúrum (id. i. 14), [Caesar said that] if hostages were given him by them he would make peace with them.

NOTE: Sometimes the person or thing to which the reflexive refers is not the grammatical subject of the main clause, though it is in effect the subject of discourse: Thus, - cum ipsí deó nihil minus grátum futúrum sit quam nón omnibus patére ad sé plácandum viam (Legg. ii. 25), since to God himself nothing will be less pleasing then that the way to appease him should not be open to all men.

a. If the subordinate clause does not express the words or thought of the main subject, the reflexive is not regularly used, though it is occasionally found: -

• sunt ita multí ut eós carcer capere nón possit (Cat. ii. 22), they are so many that the prison cannot hold them. [Here se could not be used; so also in the example following.]

  

• ibi in proximís víllís ita bipartító fuérunt, ut Tiberis inter eos et póns interesset (id. iii. 5), there they stationed themselves in the nearest farmhouses, in two divisions, in such a manner that the Tiber and the bridge were between them (the divisions).

  

• nón fuit eó contentus quod eí praeter spem acciderat (Manil. 25), he was not content with that which had happened to him beyond his hope.

  

• Compare: quí fit, Maecénás, ut némó, quam sibi sortem seu ratió dederit seu fors obiécerit, illá contentus vívat (Hor. S. i. 1. 1), how comes it, Maecenas, that nobody lives contented with that lot which choice has assigned him or chance has thrown in his way? [Here sibi is used to put the thought into the mind of the discontented man.]

b. Ipse is often (is rarely) used instead of an indirect reflexive, either to avoid ambiguity or from carelessness; and in later writers is sometimes found instead of the direct reflexive: -

• cúr dé suá virtúte aut dé ipsíus díligentiá déspérárent (B. G. i. 40), why (he asked) should they despair of their own courage or his diligence?

  

• omnia aut ipsós aut hostés populátós (Q. C. iii. 5. 6), [they said that] either they themselves or the enemy had laid all waste. [Direct reflexive.]

  

• quí sé ex hís, minus timidós exístimárí volébant, nón sé hostem verérí, sed angustiás, itineris et mágnitúdinem silvárum quae intercéderent inter ipsós (the persons referred to by sé above) atque Ariovistum ... timére dícébant (B. G. i. 39), those of them who wished to be thought less timid said they did not fear the enemy, but were afraid of the narrows and the vast extent of the forests which were between themselves and Ariovistus.

  

• audístis núper dícere légátós Tyndaritánós Mercurium quí sacrís anniversariís apud eós colerétur esse sublátum (Verr. iv. 84), you have just heard the ambassadors from Tyndaris say that the statue of Mercury which was worshipped with annual rites among them was taken away. [Here Cicero wavers between apud eós colébátur, a remark of his own, and apud sé colerétur, the words of the ambassadors. eos does not strictly refer to the ambassadors, but to the people - the Tyndaritani.]