Persius

Latin

Etymology

From Etruscan 𐌐𐌄𐌓𐌔𐌖 (persu), though the ultimate origin is uncertain. Possibly a late, unaspirated version of 𐌘𐌄𐌓𐌔𐌖 (φersu, “mask”).

The name has been confused with Ancient Greek Περσεύς (Perseús, “Perseus”) because of some Etruscan artifacts transcribing the hero's name with the same spelling.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈper.si.us/, [ˈpɛrs̠iʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈper.si.us/, [ˈpɛrsius]

Proper noun

Persius m sg (genitive Persiī or Persī); second declension

1. a Roman nomen gentile, gens or "family name" famously held by:
   1. Aulus Persius Flaccus, a Roman poet

Declension

Second-declension noun, singular only.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Persius
Genitive	Persiī Persī1
Dative	Persiō
Accusative	Persium
Ablative	Persiō
Vocative	Persī

¹Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).

Derived terms

• Persia
• Persiānus

References

• “Persius”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Persius in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Nielsen: Late Etruscan Cinerary Urns, published in The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal: Volume 14, 1986