Lewis & Short

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custos, ōdis, comm. [root sku-, to cover, hide, etc.; cf. scutum, κεύθω, Germ. Haut, Haus, Corss. Ausspr. I. p. 353], a guard, watch, preserver, keeper, overseer, protector, defender, attendant, etc., protectress, etc., in a friendly or hostile sense (freq. and class.).

  1. I. In gen.
    1. A. Of living beings.
      1. 1. In gen.: antiqua erilis fida custos corporis, Enn. Med. ap. Non. p. 39, 2 (Trag. Rel. v. 289 Vahl.); cf. in masc.: corporis, a body-guard, Liv. 24, 7, 4; so plur., Nep. Dat. 9, 3; Suet. Calig. 55 al.: Commium cum equitatu custodis loco relinquit, Caes. B. G. 6, 6 fin.: cum vigillis custodibusque nostris colloqui, id. B. C. 1, 22 init.: portae, Cic. Cat. 2, 12, 27: fani, id. Verr. 2, 4, 43, § 94. custos defensorque provinciae, id. ib. 2, 5, 6, § 12: pontis, Nep. Milt. 3, 1: patrimonii, Quint. 4, 2, 73: hortorum, Suet. Calig. 59: gregis, Verg. E. 10, 36: pecuniae regiae, Curt. 5, 1, 20: ipse pecuniae quam regni melior custos, Liv 44, 26, 12: rei publicae custos senatus, Cic. Sest. 65, 137: templorum, id. Dom. 55, 141: custos ac vindex cupiditatum, id. Agr. 2, 9, 24: salutis suae, Quint. 5, 11, 8; Curt. 3, 6, 1; Tac. A. 3, 14 et saep.: his discipulis privos custodes dabo, Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 76; so of teachers of youth, id. ib. 4, 3, 19; Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 57; Hor. S. 1, 4, 118; id. A. P. 161; 239: virtutis (ego) verae custos rigidusque satelles, id. Ep. 1, 1, 17.
        Freq. of the gods, etc.: dei custodes et conservatores hujus urbis, Cic. Sest. 24, 53; cf.: custodi Jovi, Suet. Dom. 5: montium custos Diana, Hor. C. 3, 22, 1: rerum Caesar, id. ib. 4, 15, 17: multae tibi tum officient res, Custodes, etc., i. e. attendants of women, eunuchs, etc., id. S. 1, 2, 98 Heind.
        Of dogs, Verg. G. 3, 406; Col. 7, 12; so of Cerberus, Verg. A. 6, 424 al., and of the constellation Bootes, Ἀρκτοφύλαξ, Vitr. 9, 4, 1: armorum, the officer in charge of the arms in an army or fleet, Dig. 49, 16, 14, § 1; Inscr. Orell. 3630 al.
      2. 2. In civil affairs, t. t., a man who took charge of the vessel into which voting tablets were put (in order to prevent false suffrages), Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 18; Cic. Agr. 2, 9, 22; id. Red. Sen. 7, 17.
    2. B. Of inanimate subjects.
      1. 1. Of abstract subjects: natura Ipsaque corporis est custos et causa salutis, Lucr. 3, 324: haec custos dignitatis (fortitudo), Cic. Tusc. 2, 14, 33: sapientia custos et procuratrix totius hominis, id. Fin. 4, 7, 17; id. Off. 2, 7, 23: leges diligentissimae pudoris custodes, Quint. 8, 5, 19 al.
      2. 2. Of receptacles, safes, e. g. of a quiver: eburnea Telorum custos, Ov. M. 8, 320; of an incense-box: turis, id. ib. 13, 703; and in husbandry, the stump of an amputated vine-branch, i. q. resex, pollex, praesidiarius or subsidiarius palmes, Col. 4, 21, 3.
  2. II. In a hostile sense.
    1. A. In gen., a watch, spy: Dumnorigi custodes ponit, ut, quae agat, quibuscum loquatur, scire possit, Caes. B. G. 1, 20 fin.: custodem, inquit, Tullio me apponite. Quid, mihi quam multis custodibus opus erit, etc., Cic. Div. in Caecil. 16, 51; id. Verr. 2, 5, 25, § 63; Caes. B. G. 1, 20 fin.: num nam hic relictu’s custos, Nequis, etc., Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 55; cf. v. 59; Curt. 5, 11, 2; Suet. Tib. 12 al.
    2. B. Esp., a jailer, keeper: carceris, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 57; Nep. Eum. 11, 1; id. Alcib. 4, 4: quem ex Mauritania rex proditionis insimulatum cum custodibus miserat, Sall. H. 2, 25 Dietsch: te sub custode tenebo, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 77; Tac. A. 2, 68; 3, 28; 4, 60 al.