PETROMYZON, the LAMPREY, a genus of fishes belonging to the order Cartilaginei. See ICHTHYOLOGY Index.
PETRONIUS was a renowned Roman senator. When governor of Egypt, he permitted Herod, king of the Jews, to purchase in Alexandria any quantity of corn which he should judge necessary for the supply of his subjects, who were afflicted with a severe famine. When Tiberius died, Caius Caligula, who succeeded him, took from Vitellius the government of Syria, and gave it to Petronius, who discharged the duties of his office with dignity and honour. From his inclination to favour the Jews, he ran the risk of losing the emperor's friendship and his own life; for when that prince gave orders to have his statue deposited in the temple of Jerusalem, Petronius, finding that the Jews would rather suffer death than see that sacred place profaned, was unwilling to have recourse to violent measures; and therefore preferred a moderation, dictated by humanity, to a cruel obedience. We must not confound him with another of the same name, viz. Petronius Granius, who was a centurion in the eighth legion, and served under Cæsar in the Gallic war. In his voyage to Africa, of which
country he had been appointed quaestor, the ship in which Petronius he failed was taken by Scipio, who caused all the soldiers to be put to the sword, and promised to save the quaestor's life, provided that he would renounce Cæsar's party. To this proposal Petronius replied, that "Cæsar's officers were accustomed to grant life to others, and not to receive it;" and, at the same time, he stabbed himself with his own sword.