[i] ipse is a demonstrative, also known as an intensive pronoun; note in the declension: genitive singular -īus and dative singular -ī
[ii] It has an emphatic use conveying the same idea as English ‘myself’, ‘yourself’, ‘himself’ etc. in combination with a noun or personal pronoun; when used with a noun, the translation may be ‘the very’:
Agricola ipse frūctum numquam adspiciet. │The farmer himself will never see the fruit.
From the Caractacus texts:
Et omnēs hominēs cupidī erant rēgem Britannōrum ipsum spectandī. │ All the people were eager to look at the king of the Britons himself.
Magna multitūdō captīvōrum Britannicōrum ūnā cum Caractacō ipsō et uxōre frātribusque eius in catēnīs aderant. │ A great number of British prisoners together with Caractacus himself and his wife and brothers were present in chains.
Sed Caractacus ipse animum audācem … praestitit │ But Caractacus himself displayed a bold spirit.
Ante oculōs prīncipis ipsīus collocātus "Rēx sum" inquit … │ Placed before the eyes of the Emperor himself he said “I am a king”
Tum prīnceps … veniam lībertātemque Caractacō ipsī … dedit. │ The Emperor then gave mercy and freedom to Caractacus himself.
Further examples:
Tandem sōlum tribūs brevissimīs hōrīs, Caesar ipse ad castra cum illīs tribūnīs perveniet. │ Finally, in only three very short hours, Caesar himself will reach the camp with those tribunes.
Caesarem ipsum servāvimus. │ We saved Caesar himself.
Cicerō mē ipsum laudāvit. │ Cicero praised me myself.
Ancilla ipsa amphoram portāvit. │ The maid herself carried the jar.
Amīcum rēgis ipsīus servāvērunt. │ They saved the friend of the king himself.
Fidēlissimī servī senem ad templum ipsum portāvērunt. │ The most faithful servants carried the old man to the temple itself / the very temple.
Lēgātōs cīvium Rōmānōrum ipsōrum servāvistis. │ You have saved the ambassadors of the Roman citizens themselves.
Vōs ipsī iūdicāte: decet mulierem nōn vēlātam ōrāre Deum? (Vulgate) │ You yourselves judge: is it proper for a woman without a veil to pray to God?
[iii] Note: in English, -self and -selves, apart from having the same emphatic function as Latin ipse e.g. I myself will do it, also is used to express reflexive actions e.g. She hurt herself, he looked at himself in the mirror; Latin does not use ipse to convey this, but the reflexive pronoun sē which we will review in the next post.
Complete the sentences by choosing the correct form of ipse:
[1] The man himself sees the danger. │ Homō ____ perīculum videt.
[2] The man sees the danger itself. │ Homō ____ perīculum videt.
[3] In the city of Alexandria itself Caesar waged war with the inhabitants. │ Caesar ____ in urbe Alexandrīa bellum cum incolīs gessit.
[4] I didn’t want to hurt the girl herself. │ Puellam ____ laedere nōlēbam.
[5] The king bestowed honours on [= gave honours to] the citizens themselves. │ Rēx honōrēs cīvibus ____ dedit.
[6] How do the Roman women themselves feel about the powers of their husbands? │ Quōmodo fēminae ____ Rōmānae dē potentiīs marītōrum sentiunt?
[7] Many of the enemy themselves thanked him. │ Hostium ____ multī eī grātiās ēgerunt.
[8] Thieves stole the gold of the king himself. │ Fūrēs aurum rēgis ____ abstulērunt.
[9] We ourselves heard the senator’s speech. │ Nōs ____ ōrātiōnem senātōris audīvimus.
[10] On that very day he cleaned the stable. │ Illō ____ diē stabulum pūrgāvit.
[11] This was the very cause of that war. │ Haec erat ____ causa illīus bellī.
ipsa; ipsā; ipsae; ipsam; ipse; ipsī; ipsīs; ipsīus; ipsō; ipsōrum; ipsum
____________________
[1] Homō ipse perīculum videt.
[2] Homō ipsum perīculum videt.
[3] Caesar ipsā in urbe Alexandrīa bellum cum incolīs gessit.
[4] Puellam ipsam laedere nōlēbam.
[5] Rēx honōrēs cīvibus ipsīs dedit.
[6] Quōmodo fēminae ipsae Rōmānae dē potentiīs marītōrum sentiunt?
[7] Hostium ipsōrum multī eī grātiās ēgerunt.
[8] Fūrēs aurum rēgis ipsīus abstulērunt.
[9] Nōs ipsī ōrātiōnem senātōris audīvimus.
[10] Illō ipsō diē stabulum pūrgāvit.
[11] Haec erat ipsa causa illīus bellī.
