[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:
Sē ex nāvī prōiēcit. (Caesar) │ He threw himself from the ship.
Dumnorīgem ad sē 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 sē labor perfecit. │ He completed the task by his own effort (i.e. by means of himself).
Puer in flūmine sē lavat. │ The boy is washing (himself) in the river.
[iii] As with other pronouns, when cum is used with the ablative reflexive pronoun sē, 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 sē spectat. │ She gazes ____ ____ in the lake.
[2] Dīves sibi pecūniam dedit. │ The wealthy man gave ____ the money.
[3] Nauta in mare sē praecipitāvit. │ The sailor threw ____ into the sea.
[4] Vōcālis syllabam per sē facere potest. │ A vowel can make a syllable ____ ____.
[5] Dominus servum ad sē vocāvit. │ The master called the slave ____ ____.
[6] Obsidēs in carcere sēsē necāvērunt. │ The hostages killed ____ in the prison.
[7] Pater fīlium sēcum 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 mē 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 tē habēs hodiē? │ How are you (i.e. how are you holding yourself) today?
Cūr tē 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] Mē rogāvī iterum iterumque. │ I asked myself again and again.
[2] Mihi domum aedificāvī. │ I’ve built a house for myself.
[3] Pōtēsne tē 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.
