(adjective) : princeps, cĭpis, and
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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
* A chief, superior, director (ante- and post-class.): principes, qui utrique rei praeponuntur,Varr. R. R. 1, 2; Lampr. Alex. Sev. 32.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.

s. TLL