Heavy Construction
The Allen and Greenough is still under construction;
so some links may not work quite the way you would expect.
298.
The main uses of ídem and ipse are as follows: -
a. When a quality or act is ascribed with
emphasis to a person or thing already named, is or ídem (often with the concessive quidem) is used to indicate that person or
thing: -
- per únum servum et eum ex
gladiatórió lúdó (Att. i. 16. 5), by
means of a single slave, and that too one from the gladiatorial
school.
- vincula, et ea sempiterna
(Cat. iv. 7), imprisonment, and that perpetual.
- Ti. Gracchus régnum occupáre
cónátus est, vel régnávit is quidem
paucós mensís (Lael. 41), Tiberius Gracchus tried
to usurp royal power, or rather he actually reigned a few months.
NOTE: So rarely with ille:
as, - nunc dextra ingeminans ictus, nunc ille
sinistra (Aen. v. 457), now dealing redoubled blows with his
right hand, now (he) with his left. [In imitation of the
Homeric o ge: cf. Aen. v. 334; ix. 796.]
b. Ídem, the same, is often used
where the English requires an adverb or adverbial phrase (also, too, yet, at the same time): -
- órátió splendida et
grandis et eadem in prímís facéta
(Brut. 273), an oration, brilliant, able, and very witty too.
- cum [haec] dícat, negat
ídem esse in Deó grátiam
(N. D. i. 121), when he says this, he denies also that there is mercy
with God (he, the same man).
NOTE: This is really the same use as in a above, but in
this case the pronoun cannot be represented by a pronoun iu English.
c. The intensive ipse, self, is used with any of the
other pronouns, with a noun, or with a temporal adverb for the sake of
emphasis: -
- turpe mihi ipsí
vidébátur (Phil. i. 9), even to me (to me myself) it seemed disgraceful.
- id ipsum, that very
thing; quod ipsum, which of
itself alone.
- in eum ipsum locum, to
that very place.
- tum ipsum (Off. ii. 60),
at that very time.
NOTE 1: The emphasis of ipse is often expressed in English by just,
very, mere, etc.
NOTE 2: In English, the pronouns himself etc. are used
both intensively (as, he will come himself) and reflexively (as, he will kill himself): in Latin the former would be translated by
ipse, the latter by se or sese.
d. Ipse is often used alone, substantively, as
follows: -
1. As an emphatic pronoun of the third person: -
- idque reí públicae
praeclárum, ipsís glóriósum
(Phil. ii. 27), and this was splendid for the state, glorious for
themselves.
- omnés boní quantum in
ipsís fuit (id. ii. 29), all good men so far as
was in their power (in themselves).
- dí capití
ipsíus generíque reservent (Aen. viii. 484),
may the gods hold in reserve [such a fate] to fall on his own and his
son-in-law's head.
2. To emphasize an omitted subject of the first or second person: -
- vobíscum ipsí
recordáminí (Phil. ii. 1), remember in your own
minds (yourselves with yourselves).
3. To distinguish the principal personage from subordinate persons: -
- ipse díxit (cf. autos efa), he (the Master) said
it.
- Nómentánus erat super
ipsum (Hor. S. ii. 8. 23), Nomentanus was above [the
host] himself [at table].
e. Ipse is often (is rarely) used instead of a reflexive (see § 300. b).
f. Ipse usually agrees with the subject, even when
the real emphasis in English is on a refiexive in the predicate: -
- mé ipse cónsólor (Lael. 10), I console
myself. [Not mé ipsum, as the
English would lead us to expect.]