sequi as an example is a deponent verb. All forms are translated active, but look like passive forms.

Is this a feature of the Latin language (i.e. were contemporary linguists aware of such a feature) or was the verb sequi simply passive, but we as translators do not have a passive verb for "to follow" in English or other languages and thus need to translate such deponents differently.

An example for what I mean here are self-reflexive verbs: To get used to in english is not reflexive. (I got used to the new president). In German, on the contrary, it is (Ich gewöhnte mich an den neuen Präsident). Here, reflexivity is something I need to know as a German translator when translating the above sentence into German, but an English speaker wouldn't be aware of that.

Is this the same with deponents?

sequi as an example is a deponent verb. All forms are translated active, but look like passive forms.

Is this a feature of the Latin language (i.e. were contemporary linguists aware of such a feature) or was the verb sequi simply passive, but we as translators do not have a passive verb for "to follow" in English or other languages and thus need to translate such deponents differently?

An example for what I mean here are self-reflexive verbs: To get used to in english is not reflexive. (I got used to the new president). In German, on the contrary, it is (Ich gewöhnte mich an den neuen Präsident). Here, reflexivity is something I need to know as a German translator when translating the above sentence into German, but an English speaker wouldn't be aware of that.

Is this the same with deponents?