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princeps , cĭpis, adj. and
I.subst. comm. [primus-capio], first in time or order (syn. primus).—Lit., in gen.: “ut quisque in fugā postremus, ita periculo princeps erat,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 34, § 90: “princeps in proelium ibat, ultimus conserto proelio excedebat,Liv. 21, 4: “princeps Horatius ibat,first, in front, in advance, id. 1, 26 Weissenb. ad loc.: “princeps fuit ad conatum exercitus comparandi,Cic. Phil. 10, 11, 24: “Firmani principes pecuniae pollicendae fuerunt,were the first to promise, id. ib. 7, 8, 23: “princeps in agendo,id. Div. in Caecil. 15, 47; Caes. B. G. 7, 2: “omnium nationum exterarum princeps Sicilia se ad amicitiam populi Romani applicuit,was the first that entered into friendship with the Roman people, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 1, § 2: “princeps et solus bellum his indixit,Nep. Thras. 1, 5: “princeps in haec verba jurat,Caes. B. C. 1, 76: “ut principes talem nuntium attulisse viderentur,to be the first, id. ib. 1, 53: “qui Formiarum moenia dicitur Princeps tenuisse,Hor. C. 3, 17, 7: “matri Qui dederit princeps oscula,Ov. F. 2, 714: “princeps turmas inducit Asilas,Verg. A. 11, 620: “princeps ante omnes,first of all, id. ib. 5, 833.—Of things: “quoniam exordium princeps omnium esse debet,Cic. Inv. 1, 7, 19: “qualitatum aliae sunt principes, aliae ex lis ortae,original, id. Ac. 1, 7, 26: “mensis Romani anni,Col. 11, 2, 3: “addere principi Limo particulam,Hor. C. 1, 16, 13: “dies imperii princeps, vitae supremus,Tac. A. 1, 9.—
B. The first, chief, the most eminent, distinguished, or noble (syn. primores): “longe omnium gravitate princeps Plato,Cic. Or. 19, 62: “Eudoxus in astrologiā facile princeps,id. Div. 2, 42, 87: “quaedam principes feminae,certain noble ladies, Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 119: “principe loco genitus,id. 37, 2, 11, § 40.—Prov.: “principibus placuisse viris non ultima laus est,Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 35. —Rarely of things: “gemma princeps Sardonychus,Juv. 13, 138.—
II. As subst.: princeps , cĭpis, m., the first man, first person: “princeps senatŭs,the first senator on the censor's list, the first member of the Senate, Liv. 34, 44.—
B. Esp., the first, chief, principal, most distinguished person: “quales in re publicā principes essent, talis reliquos solere esse civis,Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 12: “juventutis,one of the noblest of the Roman knights, id. Vatin. 10, 24: trecenti conjuravimus principes juventutis Romanae, i. e. high-born or patrician youths, Liv. 2, 12, 15 (= proceres juventutis, id. 10, 28, 7); 42, 61, 5.—In the time of the emperors this was also a title of honor given to the prince, the heir to the empire, Tac. A. 1, 3: “sacerdotum,the high-priest, Vulg. Act. 4, 6. —
C. A chief, head, author, originator, leader, contriver, etc.: “princeps atque architectus sceleris,Cic. Clu. 22, 60: “Zeno eorum (Stoicorum) princeps non tam rerum inventor fuit, quam verborum novorum,id. Fin. 3, 2, 5: “princeps Argonautarum,” i. e. Jason, id. Tusc. 4, 32, 69: “principes consilii publici, i. e. senatus,id. Sest. 45, 97: “conjurationis,id. Cat. 1, 11, 27: “eorum omnium hic dux est atque princeps,id. Har. Resp. 26, 57: “regendae civitatis dux et sententiae princeps in senatu,id. de Or. 3, 17, 63: “(pueri) aequalium principes,first among their playfellows, id. Fin. 5, 22, 61: “gregis,” i. e. of players, Suet. Calig. 58: “principes sententiarum consulares,who were first asked for their opinion, Liv. 8, 21: “hujus consilii principes,Caes. B. G. 2, 14: “belli inferendi,first in commencing hostilities, id. ib. 5, 52: “jam princeps equitum,at the head of, Juv. 4, 32.—Of ancestors: “hinc Dardanus ortus Iasiusque pater, genus a quo principe nostrum,Verg. A. 3, 168 (cf., in this sense, principium, Sil. 15, 748; v. principium, II. B. 2.).—
D. A chief, superior, director (ante- and post-class.): “principes, qui utrique rei praeponuntur,Varr. R. R. 1, 2; Lampr. Alex. Sev. 32.—
E. A prince, i. e. a ruler, sovereign, emperor (poet. and post-Aug.): “hic ames dici pater atque princeps,Hor. C. 1, 2, 50; Ov. P. 1, 2, 123; Tac. A. 1, 1: “quae non faciet quod principis uxor,Juv. 6, 617; 8, 224.—
F. In milit. lang.: princĭpes , um, m., the second line of soldiers, between the hastati and triarii, Liv. 8, 8; 22, 5; 30, 8; 37, 39; cf. Varr. L. L. 5, § 89; Veg. Mil. 1, 20; 2, 15; cf. Ov. F. 3, 129; and Becker, Antiq. 3, 2, p. 249 sq.; p. 269 sq.—Princeps also signifies,
1. A company or division of the principes: signum primi principis, of the first company of the principes, Liv. 26, 6, 1: “octavum principem duxit,was centurion of the eighth maniple, Cic. ad Brut. 1, 8, 2.—
2. A centurion or captain of the principes: princeps prior, the first captain of the principes, Caes. B. C. 3, 64 fin.: “princeps tertiae legionis,Liv. 25, 14; cf. id. 42, 34.—
3. The office of centurion of the principes, the centurionship or captaincy of the principes: mihi primus princeps prioris centuriae est adsignatus, the first captaincy of the principes, Liv. 42, 34, 8.—Comp.: “omnium priorum principum principiorem, si dici fas est,Cassiod. Hist. Eccl. 1, 1.
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hide References (45 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (45):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 1.9.12
    • Caesar, Gallic War, 2.14
    • Caesar, Gallic War, 7.2
    • Cicero, On the Responses of the Haruspices, 26.57
    • Cicero, Divinatio against Q. Caecilius, 15.47
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.2.2
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.5.90
    • Cicero, Against Catiline, 1.11.27
    • Cicero, For Aulus Cluentius, 22.60
    • Cicero, For Sestius, 45.97
    • Cicero, Against Vatinius, 10.24
    • Cicero, Philippics, 10.11.24
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 10, 28.7
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 11.620
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 3.168
    • New Testament, Acts, 4.6
    • Caesar, Civil War, 1.76
    • Caesar, Civil War, 3.64
    • Tacitus, Annales, 1.1
    • Tacitus, Annales, 1.3
    • Tacitus, Annales, 1.9
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 3.17
    • Suetonius, Caligula, 58
    • Cornelius Nepos, Thrasybulus, 1.5
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 37.40
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 30, 8
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 42, 34
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 2, 12.15
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 25, 14
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 34, 44
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 22, 5
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 8, 21
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 8, 8
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 26, 6.1
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 26
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 21, 4
    • Cicero, de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, 3.2
    • Cicero, de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, 5.22
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 2.42
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 4.32
    • Ovid, Ex Ponto, 1.2
    • Cicero, Orator, 19.62
    • Ovid, Fasti, 2
    • Ovid, Fasti, 3
    • Cicero, De Inventione, 1.7
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