[*] 301. Special uses of the Reflexive are the following:— [*] a. The reflexive in a subordinate clause sometimes refers to the subject of a suppressed main clause:—
- “Paetus omnīs librōs quōs frāter suus relīquisset mihi dōnāvit ” (Att. 2.1) , Pœtus gave me all the books which (as he said in the act of donation) his brother had left him.
- Sōcratem cīvēs suī interfēcērunt, Socrates was put to death by his own fellowcitizens.
- quī poterat salūs sua cuiquam nōn probārī; (Mil. 81), how can any one fail to approve his own safety? [In this and the preceding example the emphasis is preserved in English by the change of voice.]
- “ hunc sī secūtī erunt suī comitēs ” (Cat. 2.10) , this man, if his companions follow him.
[*] Note.--Occasionally the clause to which the reflexive really belongs is absorbed: as, “—studeō sānāre sibi ipsōs” (Cat. 2.17) , I am anxious to cure these men for their own benefit (i.e. ut sānī sibi sint ).
[*] c. Suus is used for one's own as emphatically opposed to that of others, in any part of the sentence and with reference to any word in it:—- “ suīs flammīs dēlēte Fīdēnās ” (Liv. 4.33) , destroy Fidenœ with its own fires (the fires kindled by that city, figuratively). [Cf. Cat. 1.32.]
- suī laus, self-praise.
- “habētis ducem memorem vestrī, oblītum suī ” (Cat. 4.19) , you have a leader mindful of you, forgetful of himself.
- “perditī hominēs cum suī similibus servīs ” (Phil. 1.5) , abandoned men with slaves like themselves.
- “contentum suīs rēbus esse maximae sunt dīvitiae ” (Par. 51) , the greatest wealth is to be content with one's own.
- “cui prōposita sit cōnservātiō suī ” (Fin. 5.37) , one whose aim is self-preservation.
- “ inter sē cōnflīgunt ” (Cat. 1.25) , contend with each other.
- “ inter sē continentur ” (Arch. 2) , are joined to each other.