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

5241 PRIMUS. PRISCIANUS.
mediately set out against Antonius upon hearing of but his rule lasted only for a short time. Muciathe defeat of their comrades. The skill and valour nus reached Rome soon after the death of Vitellius,
of Antonius again secured the victory for his and was immediately received by the senate and
troops after another hard-fought battle. In the the whole city, as their master. But though Anmorning he marched against Cremona, which was tonius was thus reduced to a subordinate position
at length obliged to submit to him after a vigorous in the state, Mucianus was still jealous of him.
defence. The unhappy city was given up to plun- He, therefore, would not allow him to accompany
der and flames; and at the end of four days of in- Domitian in his expedition into Germany; at which
cessant pillage, during which the most horrible Antonius was so indignant that he repaired to Vesatrocities were perpetrated, the entire city was le- pasian, who was at Alexandria. He was not revelled to the ground. ceived by Vespasian in the distinguished manner
Hitherto Antonius had acted with moderation which he had expected, and to which he thought
and caution; but, as frequently happens, success that he was entitled; for though the emperor
revealed his cruel character, and brought forth to treated him with kindness and consideration on
public view the avarice, pride, and other vices account of the great services he had rendered him,
which were inherent in his nature. Henceforth he secretly regarded him with dislike and sushe treated Italy like a conquered country; and in picion, in consequence of the accusations of Muorder to maintain his popularity with the soldiers, cianus, and the haughty conduct of Antonius himallowed them every kind of licence. Mucianus, self. (Tac. Hist. ii. 86, libb. iii.-iv.; Dion
who was jealous of his success, and who wished to Cass. lxv. 9-18; Joseph. B. J. iv. 11.) This is
reserve to himself the glory of putting an end to the last time that Antonius is mentioned by Tathe war, wrote to Antonius, recommending caution citus; but we learn from Martial, who was a friend
and delay, though he worded his letters in such a of Antonits, that he was alive at the accession of
manner that the- responsibility of all movements Trajan. In an epigram of the tenth book, which
was thrown upon Antonius. But to the officers of was probably published in A. D. 100, the second
Antonius he expressed himself with more openness, year of Trajan's reign [see Vol. II. p. 965, b.],
and thus endeavoured to keep Antonius in the north Antonius is said to be in his sixtieth year. (Mart. x.
of Italy. Antonius, however, was not of a temper 23, comp. x. 32, ix. 100.)
to brook such interference, and he therefore wrote to PRISCA, MUTI'LIA, a friend of Livia, the
Vespasian, extolling his own exploits, and covertly mother of the emperor Tiberius, and the mistress
attacking Mucianus. Without troubling himself of Julius Postumus. (Tac. Ann. iv. 12.)
about the wishes of the latter, he crossed the PRISCA, PU'BLIA, the wife of C. Geminius
Apennines in the middle of winter, and marched Rufus, who was put to death in A. D. 31, in the
straight upon Rome. Upun reaching Ocriculum, reign of Tiberius. Prisca was also accused and
however, he halted for some days. His soldiers, summoned before the senate, but stabbed herself
whose appetites had been whetted by the plunder in. the senate-house. (Dion Cass. lviii. 4.)
of Cremona, and who were impatient to glut them- PRISCIA'NUS, one of the most celebrated
selves with the spoils of Rome, were indignant at grammarians of the later period of Roman literathis delay, and accused their general of treachery. ture. From the surname Caesariensis which is
It'is probable that Antonius, who saw that it would given to him, we gather that he was either born at
be difficult to restrain his soldiers, feared the general Caesareia, or at least was educated there. The
odium, as well as the displeasure of Vespasian, if time at which he lived cannot be fixed with any
his troops were to sack the imperial city. But great precision. He is spoken of as a contempowhatever were his motives or intentions, circum- rary of Cassiodorus, who lived from A. D. 468 to
stances occurred which put an end to his inactivity. at least A. D. 562,. (Paulus Diaconus, de Cest.
News arrived that Flavius Sabinus had taLken re- Lozgob. i. 25.) According to a statement of Aldfuge in the Capitol, and that he was there besieged helm (ap. Mai, Auct. Class. vol. v. p. 501, &c.),
by the Vitellian troops. Thereupon Antonius im- the emperor Theodosius the younger, who died in
mediately marched upon Rome, but before he could A. D. 450, copied out Priscian's grammatical work
reach the city the Capitol was burnt, and Sabinus with his own hand. Some authorities, therefore,
killed. Upon arriving at the suburbs, he endea- place him in the first half of the fifth century,
voulred to prevent his troops from entering the city others a little later in the same century, others in
till the following day; but the soldiers, who saw the beginning of the sixth century. The second is
the prey before their eyes, demanded to be led the only view at all consonant with both the above
forthwith to the attack. Antonius was obliged to statements Priscianus was a pupil of Theoctisyield; he divided his army into three bodies, and tus. (Prisc. xviii. 5.) He himself taught grammar
gave orders for the assault. The troops of Vitellius at Constantinople, and was in the receipt of a
fought with the courage of despair; driven out of salary from the government, from which (as well
tile suburbs, they continued the combat in the as from parts of his writings, especially his translastreets of the city, and the struggle continued for tioll of the Periegesis of Dionysius) it appears pronany days. At length the work of butchery came bable that he was a Christian. Of other particulars
to an end; the soldiers of Vitellius were everywhere of his life we are ignorant. He was celebrated for
destroyed, and the emperor himself put to death. the extent and depth of his grammatical knowledge,
Thereupon Domitian, who was in Rome, received of which he has left the evidence in his work
the iname of Caesar; Arrius Varus was entrusted on the subject, entitled Comlmentariorumn gramrtoawith the comnmand of the Praetorian troops; but ticorum Libsi XVIII., addressed to his friend and
the governimment and all real power was in the hands patron, the consul Julianus. Other titles are, howof Antonius. His rapacity knew no bounds, and ever, frequently given to it. The first sixteen books
he kept plundering the emperor's palace, as if treat upon the eight parts of speech recognised by
he had been at the sack of Cremona. The sub- the ancient grammarians, letters, syllables, &c.
servient senate voted him the consular ornaments; The last two books are on syntax, and in one MS.