I.a., to go before, lead the way, precede (syn.: praegredior, antecedo).
I. Lit.
(α).
Neutr.: “ut consulibus lictores praeirent,” Cic. Rep. 2, 31, 55: “domino praeire,” Stat. Th. 6, 519: “Laevinus Romam praeivit,” Liv. 26, 27 fin.: “praetor dictus, qui praeiret jure et exercitu,” Varr. L. L. 5, § 80 Müll.; cf.: “in re militari praetor dictus, qui praeiret exercitui,” id. ib. 5, 16, § “87 ib.: praeeunte carinā,” Verg. A. 5, 186; Ov. F. 1, 81.—
(β).
Act.: “per avia ac derupta praeibat eum,” Tac. A. 6, 21: “ludos Circenses eburna effigies (Germanici) praeiret,” id. ib. 2, 83.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen., to go before, precede (rare but class.).
B. In partic., a relig. and publicist's t. t., to precede one in reciting a formula (as of prayer, consecration, an oath, etc.), i. e. to repeat first, to dictate any thing (the predom. signif. of the word); constr. most freq. with aliquid (alicui), and less freq. with verbis, voce, or absol.
(α).
Aliquid (alicui): “praei verba, quibus me pro legionibus devoveam,” Liv. 8, 9, 4: “aedem Concordiae dedicavit, coactusque pontifex maximus verba praeire,” to dictate the formula of consecration, id. 9, 46, 6; cf. id. 4, 21, 5; 5, 41, 3; 10, 28, 14: “praeeuntibus exsecrabile carmen sacerdotibus,” id. 31, 17: “sacramentum,” Tac. H. 1, 36; 2, 74: “obsecrationem,” Suet. Claud. 22: “cum scriba ex publicis tabulis sollemne ei praecationis carmen praeiret,” Val. Max. 4, 1, 10.—
(γ).
Absol., with dat. of the person: “praeivimus commilitonibus jusjurandum more sollemni praestantibus,” Plin. Ep. 10,52 (60): “de scripto praeire,” to read before, Plin. 28, 2, 3, § 12: “ades, Luculle, Servili, dum dedico domum Ciceronis, ut mihi praeeatis,” Cic. Dom. 52, 133.—
2. Transf., apart from technical lang., to recite, read, sing, or play before one (rare but class.): “ut vobis voce praeirent, quid judicaretis,” Cic. Mil. 2, 3: “si legentibus singulis praeire semper ipsi velint,” wish to read before, Quint. 2, 5, 3; 1, 2, 12; and: “praeeunte aliquā jucundā voce,” id. 1, 10, 16: “tibiam Caio Graccho cum populo agenti praeisse ac praemonstrasse modulos ferunt,” Gell. 1, 11, 10.—
b. In partic., to lead the way, by orders, directions, precepts: “omnia, uti decemviri praeierunt, facta,” Liv. 43, 13 fin. (cf. praefor): “si de omni quoque officio judicis praeire tibi me vis,” Gell. 14, 2, 12.— Hence, praeiens , Part., going before; as subst.: praeiens , euntis, m., he who precedes another, as a precentor or leader: “lectio non omnis nec semper praeeunte eget,” Quint. 1, 2, 12.
