[1478.] Sometimes the person by whom the action is done is indicated by the dative of the possessor: see [1216]. And regularly with the gerund and gerundive construction ([2243]).
[1479.] Only verbs of transitive use have ordinarily a complete passive. Verbs of intransitive use have only the impersonal forms of the passive ([1034]): as,
diū atque ācriter pugnātum est, 1, 26, 1, there was long and sharp fighting. tōtīs trepidātur castrīs, 6, 37, 6, all through the camp there was tumult and affright. mihī̆ quidem persuādērī numquam potuit, animōs ēmorī, CM. 80, for my part, I never could be convinced that the soul becomes extinct at death ([1181]). Similarly verbs which have a transitive use may also be used impersonally: as, di͡ēs noctīsque ēstur, bibitur, Pl. Most. 235, there is eating and drinking all day and all night ([1133]).
[1480.] The complementary dative of a verb in the active voice is in poetry very rarely made the subject of a passive verb: as, invideor, H. AP. 56, I am envied. imperor, H. E. 1, 5, 21, I charge myself.
[1481.] The passive had originally a reflexive meaning, which is still to be seen in the passive of many verbs: as,
exercēbātur plūrimum currendō et lūctandō, N. 15, 2, 4, he took a great deal of exercise in running and wrestling. dēnsōs fertur in hostīs, V. 2, 511, he tries to charge upon the serried foes. quod semper movētur, aeternum est, TD. 1, 53, anything that is always moving, is eternal.
[1482.] The present participle of reflexives is sometimes used in a reflexive sense: as, exercēns, exercising oneself, exercising, ferēns, tearing along, vehēns, riding, and invehēns, mounted on, pāscēns, browsing, versāns, playing, being, volvēns, rolling. Also the gerund: as, iūs vehendī, the privilege of riding.
[1483.] Passive forms of coepī and dēsinō are commonly used in the perfect system, when a dependent infinitive is passive: as,
litterīs ōrātiō est coepta mandārī, Br. 26, oratory began to be put in black and white. veterēs ōrātiōnēs legī sunt dēsitae, Br. 123, the old speeches ceased to be read. But the active forms are sometimes used by Cornificius, Sallust, and Livy, and regularly by Tacitus. The active forms are used with fierī also, which is not passive ([789]); but even with fierī, Livy uses the passive forms.