I.neutr. prior, Val. Antias and Quadrig. ap. Prisc. p. 767), ōris, adj. comp. [from obsol. prep. pri; v. primus init.], former, previous, prior, freq. to be translated first; cf. superior; Cicero nearly always uses prior, opp. to posterior, in time; superior in sense of former, in gen. relation to the present, when no other time is expressed; v. Krebs, Antibarb. p. 921 sq.
I. Lit.: “ita priori posterius, posteriori superius non jungitur,” Cic. Ac. 2, 14, 44: “me quaestorem in primis, aedilem priorem, praetorem primum populus Romanus faciebat,” id. Pis. 1, 2: “qui prior has angustias occupaverit,” first, Caes. B. C. 1, 66: “prior proelio lacessere,” id. ib. 1, 82: “etsi utrique primas, priores tamen libenter deferunt Laelio,” Cic. Brut. 21, 84: “priore loco causam dicere,” first, id. Quint. 9, 32: “priore aestate,” in the former summer, last summer, id. Fam. 1, 9, 24: “priore nocte,” id. Cat. 1, 4, 8: “factum est enim meā culpā, ut priore anno non succederetur,” id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 2: “prioribus comitiis,” id. Planc. 22, 54: “priore anno,” the year before, Liv. 3, 9, 7; 3, 10, 14; 4, 56, 5: “prioris anni consules,” id. 4, 13, 10; 4, 17, 9: “Dionysius prior,” the elder, Nep. Dion, 1, 3: “vinum,” of last year, Plin. 14, 19, 24, § 120: “priore libro,” in the previous book, Col. 4, 22, 9: “pedes,” the forefeet, Nep. Eum. 5, 5; Plin. 8, 45, 70, § 181: “canities homini semper a priori parte capitis, tum deinde ab aversā,” the forepart, Plin. 11, 37, 47, § 131.—Pleon.: “cum prior Romanus exercitus praevenisset,” Liv. 9, 23, 2: “prius praecepta res erat,” id. 21, 32, 7; cf. id. 9, 23, 2.— Old neutr. prior: hoc senatusconsultum prior factum est, Val. Antias ap. Prisc. p. 767 P.: “prior bellum, Quadrig. ib.: foedus prior,” id. ib. (cf.: bellum Punicum posterior, Cass. Hem. ib.).—
B. Subst.: prĭōres , um, m., forefathers, ancestors, the ancients (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “abiturus illuc, quo priores abierunt,” Phaedr. 4, 18, 16: “nomen dixere priores Ortygiam,” Verg. A. 3, 693: “nec ingeniis investigata priorum,” Ov. M. 15, 146; 332: “priores tradiderunt,” Col. 1, 4, 3: “nostri,” Plin. Ep. 3, 4: “more priorum,” Ov. M. 10, 218; Sen. Ep. 52, 2.—
II. Trop., better, superior, preferable, more excellent or important (not in Cic. and Cæs.): “bellante prior,” Hor. C. S. 51: “color puniceae flore prior rosae,” id. C. 4, 10, 4; Ov. H. 18, 69: “ut nemo haberetur prior,” Liv. 27, 8: “aetate et sapientiā,” Sall. J. 10, 7: “consilio et manu,” id. ib. 96, 3: “neque prius, neque antiquius quidquam habuit, quam, etc.,” Vell. 2, 52, 4.—Esp. with potior: “potius quanto prius potiusque est Philippum nobis conjungere quam hos,” Vell. 36, 7, 6: “nulla (res) prior potiorque visa est,” id. 8, 29, 2: “nihil prius nec potius visum,” id. 39, 47, 4: unus Plinius est mihi priores, i. e. worth more than they all, Sent. Augur. ap. Plin. Ep. 4, 27, 4: “artium multitudine prior omnibus, eloquentiā nulli secundus,” App. Flor. 2, p. 346.—Hence, adv. comp.: prĭus .
A. Before, sooner, first, previously (class.).
1. Alone: “quem fuit aequius, ut prius introieram in vitam, sic prius exire de vitā,” Cic. Lael. 4, 15: “regem prius Europā, post et Asiā, expellere,” Liv. 37, 52, 4: “ut vos prius experti estis, nunc Antiochus experitur,” id. 36, 17, 8; so, “prius ... nunc,” Verg. G. 3, 362: “prius ... tum,” Cato, R. R. 135; Liv. 34, 55, 5: “prius .... postea,” id. 29, 12, 11.—
2. With quam, and often joined in one word, priusquam.
(α).
Before that, before: “prius quam lucet, assunt,” before dawn, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 115: “prius illi erimus quam tu,” id. Ps. 2, 4, 68: “prius quam plane aspexit ilico eum esse dixit,” id. Rud. 4, 4, 87: “nihil prius mihi faciendum putavi, quam ut, etc.,” Cic. Att. 4, 1, 1: “cui prius quam de ceteris rebus respondeo, de amicitiā pauca dicam,” before, id. Phil. 2, 1, 3: “quod ego, prius quam loqui coepisti, sensi,” id. Vatin. 2, 4: “neque prius fugere destiterunt, quam ad flumen Rhenum pervenerunt,” Caes. B. G. 1, 53: “quid potius faciam, prius quam me dormitum conferam, non reperio,” Cic. Fam. 9, 26, 1: “priusquam aggrediar, etc.,” id. Balb. 7, 18: “prius quam ad portam venias,” Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 44.—
(β).
Sooner, rather: “Aegyptii quamvis carnificinam prius subierint, quam ibin aut aspidem violent,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 27, 78; id. Lig. 12, 34; Caes. B. C. 3, 1.—Sometimes in an inverted order: “ad hoc genus hominum duravi, quam prius me ad plures penetravi,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 13; Prop. 2, 14, 11 (3, 10, 10); v. Zumpt, Gram. § 576.—
B. In gen., formerly, in former times (poet.), Cat. 51, 13: “sed haec prius fuere: nunc, etc.,” id. 4, 25; Prop. 1, 1, 18.
