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91.1 Prīmus first mīles soldier in into urbem city vēnit came
91.2 Puer boy prīmam first epistulam letter scrībit writes
91.3 Prīmō on first diē day bellum war incipit begins
91.4 Magister teacher prīmum first discipulum pupil laudat praises
91.5 Prīmā in first lūce light agricola farmer surgit rises
91.6 Servus slave prīmum first verbum word audit hears
91.7 Prīmā in first hōrā hour sacerdōs priest templum temple intrat enters
91.8 Nauta sailor prīmam first stellam star videt sees
91.9 Prīmō at first tempore time rēx king venit comes
91.10 Fēmina woman prīmum first flōrem flower capit takes
91.11 Prīmā in first nocte night lupus wolf ululat howls
91.12 Hostis enemy prīmum first oppidum town capit captures
91.13 Prīmō in first annō year cōnsul consul fuit was
91.14 Discipula female student prīmam first fābulam story legit reads
91.15 Prīmum first carmen song poēta poet cantat sings
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91.1 Prīmus mīles in urbem vēnit. The first soldier came into the city.
91.2 Puer prīmam epistulam scrībit. The boy writes his first letter.
91.3 Prīmō diē bellum incipit. On the first day, the war begins.
91.4 Magister prīmum discipulum laudat. The teacher praises the first student.
91.5 Prīmā lūce agricola surgit. At first light, the farmer rises.
91.6 Servus prīmum verbum audit. The slave hears the first word.
91.7 Prīmā hōrā sacerdōs templum intrat. In the first hour, the priest enters the temple.
91.8 Nauta prīmam stellam videt. The sailor sees the first star.
91.9 Prīmō tempore rēx venit. At the first opportunity, the king comes.
91.10 Fēmina prīmum flōrem capit. The woman takes the first flower.
91.11 Prīmā nocte lupus ululat. In the first night, the wolf howls.
91.12 Hostis prīmum oppidum capit. The enemy captures the first town.
91.13 Prīmō annō cōnsul fuit. In the first year, he was consul.
91.14 Discipula prīmam fābulam legit. The student reads the first story.
91.15 Prīmum carmen poēta cantat. The poet sings the first song.
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91.1 Prīmus mīles in urbem vēnit.
91.2 Puer prīmam epistulam scrībit.
91.3 Prīmō diē bellum incipit.
91.4 Magister prīmum discipulum laudat.
91.5 Prīmā lūce agricola surgit.
91.6 Servus prīmum verbum audit.
91.7 Prīmā hōrā sacerdōs templum intrat.
91.8 Nauta prīmam stellam videt.
91.9 Prīmō tempore rēx venit.
91.10 Fēmina prīmum flōrem capit.
91.11 Prīmā nocte lupus ululat.
91.12 Hostis prīmum oppidum capit.
91.13 Prīmō annō cōnsul fuit.
91.14 Discipula prīmam fābulam legit.
91.15 Prīmum carmen poēta cantat.
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The adjective "prīmus -a -um" is a regular first/second declension adjective with some special features: -
Forms: -
Masculine: prīmus, prīmī, prīmō, prīmum, prīmō -
Feminine: prīma, prīmae, prīmae, prīmam, prīmā -
Neuter: prīmum, prīmī, prīmō, prīmum, prīmō -
Special Uses: -
Ablative of time: "prīmā lūce" (at first light) -
Ordinal number: "prīmus" (first in a sequence) -
Adverbial use: "prīmum" (firstly, at first) -
Common Patterns in Our Examples: -
With temporal nouns: "prīmō diē", "prīmā nocte" -
As direct object modifier: "prīmam epistulam" -
As subject modifier: "prīmus mīles" -
Word Order: -
Usually precedes its noun -
Can be separated for emphasis -
Often at sentence beginning for temporal expressions
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For English speakers, understanding "prīmus" requires cultural context: -
Roman Counting: -
Romans used ordinal numbers extensively -
First position often carried special significance -
Military ranks often used ordinal numbers -
Religious ceremonies emphasized order -
Social Implications: -
Being "first" carried prestige -
First citizen (prīnceps) became imperial title -
First speaker in Senate had special privilege -
First-born status important in families -
Time Concepts: -
Romans marked time from first hour -
First watch had military significance -
First day of month was Kalends -
First year of consulship marked time -
Modern Connections: -
"Prime" derives from "prīmus" -
"Primary" shows similar meaning -
"Premier" shares etymology -
Scientific "primary" maintains sense
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From Livy's Ab Urbe Condita (1.1):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Iam now prīmum first omnium of all things satis sufficiently cōnstat it is established Trōiā Troy captā having been captured in against cēterōs the remaining saevītum cruelty was shown esse to be Trōiānōs Trojans, duōbus from two Aeneā Aeneas Antenoreque and Antenor propter on account of vetustum ancient hospitium hospitality abstinuisse to have refrained Graecōs the Greeks.
"Iam prīmum omnium satis cōnstat Trōiā captā in cēterōs saevītum esse Trōiānōs, duōbus Aeneā Antenoreque propter vetustum hospitium abstinuisse Graecōs."
Now first of all it is sufficiently established that when Troy was captured, while cruelty was shown to the rest of the Trojans, the Greeks refrained from two men, Aeneas and Antenor, because of ancient hospitality.
Livy uses "prīmum" here to introduce the foundational story of Rome's origins. The word placement emphasizes the primary importance of this historical tradition.
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"prīmum" used adverbially -
Ablative absolute "Trōiā captā" -
Indirect statement with "cōnstat" -
Complex sentence structure typical of Livy -
Perfect passive infinitive "saevītum esse"
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91.16 Prīma first legiō legion castra camp in on colle hill posuit placed
91.17 Dux leader prīmum first signum signal mīlitibus to soldiers dedit gave
91.18 Prīmō at first impetū attack hostēs enemies fugērunt fled
91.19 Prīmus first explōrātor scout perīculum danger nūntiāvit announced
91.20 Prīmā in first vigiliā watch hostēs enemies appropinquant approach
91.21 Mīlitēs soldiers prīmum first vallum rampart mūnīvērunt fortified
91.22 Prīmō on first annō year bellī of war multae many victōriae victories erant were
91.23 Dux leader prīmās first cohortēs cohorts in into proelium battle dūxit led
91.24 Prīmō at first adventū arrival exercitūs army oppidum town expugnāvit captured
91.25 Prīma first aciēs battle line hostēs enemies sustinuit withstood
91.26 Equitēs cavalry prīmum first agmen column dūcunt lead
91.27 Prīmā at first lūce light tubae trumpets bellicum war signal canunt sound
91.28 Prīmus first centuriō centurion mīlitēs soldiers cohortātus having encouraged est is
91.29 Prīmō on first diē day pugnae of battle multī many cecidērunt fell
91.30 Prīma first cohors cohort summā with highest virtūte valor dīmicāvit fought
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91.16 Prīma legiō castra in colle posuit. The first legion placed its camp on the hill.
91.17 Dux prīmum signum mīlitibus dedit. The leader gave the first signal to the soldiers.
91.18 Prīmō impetū hostēs fugērunt. At the first attack, the enemies fled.
91.19 Prīmus explōrātor perīculum nūntiāvit. The first scout announced the danger.
91.20 Prīmā vigiliā hostēs appropinquant. During the first watch, the enemies approach.
91.21 Mīlitēs prīmum vallum mūnīvērunt. The soldiers fortified the first rampart.
91.22 Prīmō annō bellī multae victōriae erant. In the first year of the war, there were many victories.
91.23 Dux prīmās cohortēs in proelium dūxit. The leader led the first cohorts into battle.
91.24 Prīmō adventū exercitūs oppidum expugnāvit. At its first arrival, the army captured the town.
91.25 Prīma aciēs hostēs sustinuit. The first battle line withstood the enemies.
91.26 Equitēs prīmum agmen dūcunt. The cavalry lead the first column.
91.27 Prīmā lūce tubae bellicum canunt. At first light, the trumpets sound the war signal.
91.28 Prīmus centuriō mīlitēs cohortātus est. The first centurion encouraged the soldiers.
91.29 Prīmō diē pugnae multī cecidērunt. On the first day of battle, many fell.
91.30 Prīma cohors summā virtūte dīmicāvit. The first cohort fought with the highest valor.
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91.16 Prīma legiō castra in colle posuit.
91.17 Dux prīmum signum mīlitibus dedit.
91.18 Prīmō impetū hostēs fugērunt.
91.19 Prīmus explōrātor perīculum nūntiāvit.
91.20 Prīmā vigiliā hostēs appropinquant.
91.21 Mīlitēs prīmum vallum mūnīvērunt.
91.22 Prīmō annō bellī multae victōriae erant.
91.23 Dux prīmās cohortēs in proelium dūxit.
91.24 Prīmō adventū exercitūs oppidum expugnāvit.
91.25 Prīma aciēs hostēs sustinuit.
91.26 Equitēs prīmum agmen dūcunt.
91.27 Prīmā lūce tubae bellicum canunt.
91.28 Prīmus centuriō mīlitēs cohortātus est.
91.29 Prīmō diē pugnae multī cecidērunt.
91.30 Prīma cohors summā virtūte dīmicāvit.
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In military reports, "prīmus -a -um" appears in several specialized contexts: -
Military Units: -
With legiō: "prīma legiō" (first legion) -
With cohors: "prīma cohors" (first cohort) -
With aciēs: "prīma aciēs" (first battle line) -
Time Expressions in Military Context: -
"prīmā vigiliā" (during first watch) -
"prīmā lūce" (at first light) -
"prīmō diē" (on first day) -
Military Actions: -
"prīmus impetus" (first attack) -
"prīmum signum" (first signal) -
"prīmum agmen" (first column) -
Military Personnel: -
"prīmus explōrātor" (first scout) -
"prīmus centuriō" (first centurion) -
Fortifications: -
"prīmum vallum" (first rampart) -
"prīma castra" (first camp) -
Case Usage in Military Context: -
Ablative of time: "prīmō adventū" (at first arrival) -
Accusative direct object: "prīmās cohortēs" (first cohorts) -
Nominative subject: "prīma legiō" (first legion) -
Word Order in Military Reports: -
Often initial position for emphasis -
Can follow noun for special focus -
Frequently with temporal expressions -
Special Military Phrases: -
"prīmō impetū" (at first assault) -
"prīmā aciē" (in the front line) -
"prīmō adventū" (at first arrival)
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