“first” in Latin

primus (so far as, in space or time, he makes his appearance first, and others follow him): princeps (so far as he acts first, and others follow his example): summus: maximus: praecipuus (☞ post-Augustan, principalis; except in “first causes,” causae principales; opposed to secondary causes): primarius (first in rank, dignity, or value). The first men in the state [Vid: “CHIEF men. “] The first point, caput alicujus rei: summa alicujus rei: cardo alicujus rei (on which all turns; Verg. and Quint.): momentum (ῥοπή, the critical, decisive point). It was ever his first care, ei semper maxima or antiquissima cura fuit: to make anything one’s first object, omne studium in aliqua re ponere. This is the first point, hoc caput est: hoc maximum or primum est. To fall in love at first sight, devenire or incidere in amorem uno aspectu (Auct., ad Her., 2, 20, 33). Nobody can fall in love at first sight, nemo potest uno aspectu neque praeteriens in amorem devenire (ib.). For “in the first place,” Vid.

☞ The three first, tres primi (e.g., tribus primis diebus, Caes., B. C. 1, 18, which may help to banish the foolish notion that accuracy requires us to say “the first three”): He considered that the first thing was, etc., nihil prius faciendum putavit. ☞ The Latins regarded as an apposition the closer definition, which in English, is expressed by a relative proposition, or by an infinitive. I was the first who did it, or the first to do it, primus feci. If only two are spoken of, the first is prior; opposed to to the second, posterior; or, if there be a reference to two subjects already named, ille (the second being expressed by hic). If first = earliest, ultimus is used; ab ultima origine: the first (= next) after anybody, proximus. If the first thing = the most important thing, summum or caput is used; e.g., the first step toward a happy life is, caput est ad bene vivendum: he considered that the first thing should be, nihil prius faciendum putavit. To be the first in anything, initium alicujus rei facere, capere, ducere (to do it first, to make a beginning); principem esse in re; optimum, praestantissimum esse in aliquo genere; alicujus rei principatum obtinere (to be the most excellent): let us be neither first nor last, nec duces simus, nec agmen claudamus: each wishing to be the first (on the road), cum sibi quisque primum itineris locum peteret: to be the first of his class, classem ducere (Quint., 1, 2, 28): to be the first after the king, secundum imperii gradum tenere: I am the first (to get up) in the morning, and the last at night (in going to bed), primus cubitu surgo, postremus cubitum eo.

At first, primo (the general distinction between primo and primum is, that primo relates to time, primum to the order of occurrence; so that primo = “at first,” implying that a change took place afterwards, primum = “first,” when followed by what was done afterwards, in the second, third, last place, etc. Though this distinction is not universal, it should be observed by Latin writers, with this exception, according to Zumpt and Hand, vol. iv., p. 558 [against Haase], that when deinde or postea follows, Cic. usually places primum for “at first”): principio (at the beginning, originally; jus augurum divinationis opinione principio constitutum est; postea etc., Cic.): initio (at the outset; redeo ad illud quod initio scripsi): ☞ primo may be followed by post, postea, deinde, inde, dehinc, tum, postremo, ad extremum, tandem, mox, nunc, jam [Hand, iv., p. 558; Curt. has primo - sed jam].

Before all others, primus (adjective, the first; opposed to postremus): prior (adjective, the first or foremost of two; opposed to posterior): in primis (before all others, first). ☞ It would be incorrect, in this sense, to say primo: he must get up first, and go to bed last, primus cubitu surgat, postremus cubitum eat: whichever party first occupied this pass would have no trouble in keeping off the enemy, qui prior has angustias occupaverit, ab hoc hostem prohiberi nihil esse negotii: he first, or first of all, put Adherbal to death, then the rest, in pnmis Adherbalem necat, dein omnes. IN NUMERATIONS: primum. First... then (or secondly, etc.), primum - iterum or secundo - tertium (Cic.), tertio (Varr., R.R., 3, 17, 2). The other forms of compound enumerations are thus given by Hand: (A) THREE MEMBERS. (1) CICERONIAN (including his correspondents, etc.). Primum - deinde - novissime (Planc.). Primum - post - tum. Primum - deinde - tum. Primum - deinde - deinde. Primum - deinde - postea. Primum - deinceps - deinceps. Primum - tum - denique. Primum - tum - post. Primum - tum - deinde. Primum - deinde - ad extremum. 2) NON-CICERONIAN: Primum - deinde - mox (Plin.). Primum - deinde - postremo (Liv., Tac.). Primum - deinde - ad postremum (Liv.). Primum - deinde - ad ultimum (Curt.). (B) FOUR MEMBERS. (1) CICERONIAN: Primum - deinde - tum - postremo. Primum - deinde - deinde - postremo. Primum - deinde - deinde - postea. Primum - deinde - praeterea - denique. Primum - deinde - praeterea - postremo. Primum - deinde - tum - post. Primum - deinde - deinde - deinde. Primum - tum - deinde - postremo. Primum - secundo loco - deinde - tum etiam. (2) NON- CICERONIAN. Primum - deinde - mox - tum (Col.). Primum - deinde - turn - postea (Cels.). Primum - mox - deinde - postremo (Plin.). (C) FIVE MEMBERS. (1) CICERONIAN: Primum - deinde - tum etiam - accedit - postremo. Primum - deinde - tum - post - ad extremum. Primum - deinceps - deinceps - deinde - tum. (2) NON-CICERONIAN. Primum - deinde - post - deinde - postremo (Liv.). (D) FOR MORE THAN FIVE MEMBERS. For six; Vid: Cic., De Fin., 5, 23, 65, Tusc., 1, 28, 68; De Inv., 3, 50, 150; 1, 28, 43; 2, 13, 43. For eight, Col., 12, 3, 1. For nine; Cic., De Inv., 2, 27, 79. -Now first, now for the first time, nunc primum. Then first, tum primum (Liv., 9, 63). First of all, omnium primum. In the first place, as in duty bound, I congratulate you, primum tibi, ut debeo, gratulor.