Jastrow: פְּרוֹטוֹמִי

פְּרוֹטוֹמִי f. (προτομή) bust, esp. the imperial bust of the Roman standards, to which divine honors were paid (v. Sm. Ant. s. v. Signa, a. Joseph. B. J. II, 9; 2). Ex. R. s. 15 [read:] שלח המלך פ׳ שלו למדינה וכ׳ the king sent his bust to a province that they should put up his images (copies of that bust) &c.; אין אנו כורעין לפניו אלא בשביל פ׳ וכ׳ we do not bow before it (the wood) for its own sake, but for the sake of the king’s bust which is portrayed on it.—Pl. פְּרוֹטוֹמִין. Tanḥ. Shof’tim 9 (read as ed. Bub. 8) בשעה שהקב"ה ידין את אומות העולם תופשן לדין הן ואלהיהן ומעמיד להם פ׳ וכ׳ (ed. פרטומין, some ed. פרמוטין, ed. Bub. פיטומין, corr. acc.) when the Lord shall judge the nations of the world, he will arrest them and their gods, and put up their busts, and bring in the tablets with the ten commandments, and ask them, did they (the nations) ever care for you? &c.