former Copy link Outline 1. prior, us2. sŭpĕrior, us (immediately preceding)3. pristĭnus (original, olden) • former: 1. prior, us: having repealed the f. law, he promulgated two new ones, sublata p. lege, duas promulgavit, Caes.: a bird at that time unique and not seen in f. years, unica tunc volucris nec visa pr. annis, Ov.: v. preceding. 2. sŭpĕrior, us (immediately preceding): in my f. letter, s. literis, Cic.: by the death of your f. wife, morte s. uxoris, Cic.: the proceedings of the f. year, s. anni acta, Caes.: in f. times, s. temporibus, Caes.: soldiers experienced in f. battles, milites s. proeliis exercitati, Caes.: thus the latter is not joined to the f. (in an argument) nor the f. to the latter, ita priori posterius, posteriori s. non jungitur, Cic. 3. pristĭnus (original, olden): your f. dignity and glory, tua pr. dignitas et gloria, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, extr.: to retain one's f. disposition towards the Roman people, pr. animum erga P. R. conservare, Liv. 31, 2: the f. custom, pr. consuetudo, Caes. B. C. 1, 32: to return to one's f. state, ad pr. statum redire, B. G. 7, 54. N.B.--Former and latter are often expr. by ille ... hic, or hic ... ille: as, Caesar was esteemed great for his bounties and munificence; Cato for the uprightness of his life: the f. (Caesar) became renowned by his kindness and compassion; to the latter (Cato), etc., Caesar beneficiis et munificentia magnus habebatur; integritate vitae Cato: ille mansuetudine et misericordia clarus factus, huic, etc., Sall. Cat. 54: but the arrangement is often reversed, esp. when emphasis is laid on the former alternative: as, a sure peace is better and safer than a hoped for victory: the f. is in your own power, the latter in that of the gods, melior tutiorque est certa pax quam sperata victoria: haec in tua, illa in deorum manu est, Liv. 30, 30, med.: sometimes hic is even used in both the contrasted clauses: v. Dr. Smith's Lat. Dict. s. v. hic (4).