A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PRIMUS. PRIMUS. 523
mioter of fertility both of the vegetation and of all latter began to decline (A. D. 6"), Antonius was
animals connected with an agricultural life, and in one of the first generals in Europe who declared in
this capacity he was worshipped as the protector favour of Vespasian; and he rendered him the
of flocks of sheep and goats, of bees, the vine, all most important services. He was well fitted to
garden-produce, and even of fishing (Paus. ix. 31. play a conspicuous part in a civil war, being bold
~ 2; Virg. Eel. vii. 33, Georg. iv. 110, with the in action, ready in speech, unscrupulous in the use
commentators). Like other divinities presiding over of means, equally ready to plunder and to bribe,
agricultural pursuits, he was believed to be pos- and possessing considerable military abilities. It
sessed of prophetic powers, and is sometimes men- was by his influence that the legions in Moesia, as
tioned in the plural (Tibull. i. 4. 67; Moschus, iii. well as those in Pannonia, espoused the side of
27). As Priapus had many attributes in common Vespasian. When the other generals of Vespasian
with other gods of fertility, the Orphics identified were of opinion that they should remain in Panhim with their mystic Dionysus, Hermes, Helios, nonia, and await the arrival of Mucianus, who was
&c. (Schol. ad Theocr. i. 21; Eustath. ad Hom. marching from the East at the head of a powerful
pp. 691, 242.) The Attic legends connect Priapus body of Vespasian's troops, Antonius on the conwith such sensual and licentious beings as Conisalus, trary urged an immediate invasion of Italy. His
O()rthanes, and Tychon. (Strab. 1. c.; Aristoph. energy overruled all opposition. Without waiting
Lys. 982; comp. Diod. iv. 6). In like manner he till the army was ready, Antonius, with a small
was confounded by the Italians with Mutunus or body of picked troops, and accompanied by Arrius
Muttunus, the personification of the fructifying Varus, who had gained great renown under Corpower in nature (Salmas. ad Solin. p. 219; Arnob. bulo in the Armenian war, crossed the Alps and
iv. 11). The sacrifices offered to him consisted of pushed forwards into Italy. Here he met with
the first-fruits of gardens, vineyards, and fields great success; he obtained possession of several
(Anthol. Palat. vi. 102), of milk, honey, cakes, towns in Transpadane Gaul, and at Patavium was
rams, asses, and fishes (Anthol. Palat. x. 14; Ov. joined by two legions which had followed him from
Fast. i. 391, 416; Serv. ad Virg. Georg. ii. 84). the north. At Patavium he allowed his troops a
He was represented in carved images, mostly in short time for repose, and then marched upon
the form of hermae, with very large genitals, carry- Verona, which also fell into his power. Meantime
ing fruit in his garment, and either a sickle or cor- Alienus Caecina, who had been sent by Vitellius
nucopia in his hand (Tibull. i. 1. 22, 4. 8; Virg. at the head of a large army to oppose Antonius,
Georg. iv. 110; Horat. Sat. i. 8; Hirt. Mythlol. adopted no active measures against him, though
Bilderb. p. 172). The hermae of Priapus in Italy, with his superior forces he might easily have
like those of other rustic divinities, were usually driven him out of Italy. Shortly afterwards three
painted red, whence the god is called ruber or ru- more legions crossed the Alps and joined Antonius,
bicundus. (Ov. Fast. i. 415, vi. 319, 333). [L. S.] who was now at the head of five legions. His auPRIA'PUS, a maker of fictile vases, whose thority however was shared by two generals of
name occurs on a cup in the Durand collection, consular rank, T. Ampius Flavianus, the governor
foiund at Vulci. (Cab. Durand. n. 882, p. 281; of Pannonia, and Aponius Saturninus, the goIt. Rochette, Lettre a M. Schorn, p. 57.) [P. S.] vernor of Moesia; but an insurrection of the solPRIMIGENIA, a surname of Fortuna, under diers delivered him from these rivals, and obliged
which she had a celebrated sanctuary at Praeneste, them to flee from the camp. Antonius affected
and at Rome on the Quirinal. (Cic. de Div. ii. great indignation at these proceedings, but it was
41; Liv. xxxiv. 53.) [L. S.] believed by many that the mutiny had been instiPRIMUS, a Roman freedman, whose name gated by himself that he might obtain the sole
appears on arn inscription in the Museum at Naples, command. The army of Caecina meanwhile had
ill the form M. ARTORIUS M. L. PRIaMUS ARCHI- been thrown into great confusion by the treason of
TECTUS. M. Raoul-Rochette has copied and pab- their general Caecina, who had endeavoured to
lished the inscription; and he states that he was persuade his troops to desert Vitellius and espouse
assured by M. C. Bonucci, that the stone came the cause of Vespasian; but not succeeding in his
from the great theatre at Pompeii, of which, there- attempt, he had been thrown into chains, and new
fore, if this statement be correct, Primus was the generals elected by the soldiers in his stead. Anarchitect. (R. Rochette, Lettre a M. Schorn, p. tonius resolved to avail himself of these favourable
441.) [P. S.] circumstances for making an immediate attack
PRIMUS, M. ANTO'NIUS, was born at To- upon the army of Vitellius. He accordingly broke
losa in Gaul, and received in his boyhood the up from his quarters at Verona, and advanced as
surname of Becco, which signified in the Gallic lan- far as Bedriacum, a small town at no great distance
guage a cock's beak. (Suet. Vitell. 18; Martial, ix. from Cremona. At Bedriacum the decisive battle
100.) He afterwards went to Rome, and rose was fought. The imprudence ofArrius Varus, who
to the dignity of a senator; but having been had charged the enemy too soon and was driven
condemned of forgery (falsum) under the lex back with loss, threw the army of Antonius into
Cornelia in the reign of Nero, he was expelled confusion, and nearly caused the loss of the battle.
from the senate, and banished from the city. Antonius only arrested the flight by killing one of
(Tac. Ann. xiv. 40; Dion Cass. lxv. 9). After his own standard-bearers who was in the act of
the death of Nero (A. D. 68), he was restored flying, and by leading the men against the enemy
to his former rank by Galba, and appointed to with the standard in his hand. Victory at length
the command of the seventh legion, which was declared for Antonius, and the enemy fled in cor,stationed in Pannonia. It was believed that he fusion to Cremona, from which town they had
subsequently wrote to Otho, offering to take the marched to Bedriacum. In the night Antonius
command of his forces; but as Otho would was attacked by another army of Vitellius, consist-' not employ him, he gave him no support in his ing of six legions, which had been stationed at
struggle with Vitellius. When the fortunes of the Hostilia, thirty miles distant, and which had ilu