hostēs in spem potiundōrum castrōrum vēnerant, the enemy had conceived the hope of gaining possession of the camp.
5. The Genitives meī, tuī, suī, nostrī, vestrī, when used in the Gerundive Construction, are regularly employed without reference to Gender or Number, since they were originally Neuter Singular Adjectives used substantively. Thus:—
mulier suī servandī causā aufūgit, the woman fled for the sake of saving herself;
lēgātī in castra vēnērunt suī pūrgandī causā, the envoys came into camp for the purpose of clearing themselves.
So nostrī servandī causā, for the sake of saving ourselves.
6. Occasionally the Genitive of the Gerundive Construction is used to denote purpose; as,—
quae ille cēpit lēgum ac lībertātis subvertundae, which he undertook for the purpose of overthrowing the laws and liberty.
7. The Dative of the Gerundive Construction occurs in some expressions which have the character of formulas; as,—
decemvirī lēgibus scrībundīs, decemvirs for codifying the laws;
quīndecimvirī sacrīs faciundīs, quindecimvirs for performing the sacrifices.
THE SUPINE.
[340]. 1. The Supine in -um is used after Verbs of motion to express purpose; as,—