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praesĕs, ĭdis (gen. plur. praesidium, Flor. 2, 17, 16), adj. and subst. [praesideo].
- I. Sitting before a thing, to guard, take care of, or direct it; presiding, protecting, guarding, defending: locus, a place of refuge, Plaut. Cas. 5, 1, 11 dub.: dextra, Sen. Med. 247: di praesides imperii, protecting deities, Tac. H. 4, 53.
- II. Subst.: praesĕs, ĭdis, comm.
- A. A protector, guard, guardian, defender: ite nunc jam ex praesidio praesides, Plaut. Rud. 4, 4, 7: senatus rei publicae custos, praeses, propugnator, Cic. Sest. 65, 137: patrii Penates, qui huic urbi et rei publicae praesides estis, Cic. Dom. 57, 144: tribunus plebis, quem majores praesidem libertatis custodemque esse voluerunt, id. Agr. 2, 6, 15; Liv. 6, 16.
- B. Transf., in gen., one that presides over, a president, superintendent, head, chief, ruler: praeses belli, i. e. Minerva, Verg. A. 11, 483: vobis per suffragia uti praesides olim, nunc dominos destinatis, Sall. H. 3, 61, 6 Dietsch: provinciarum, governors, Suet. Aug. 23: quorum (praetorum) in provinciis jurisdictionem praesides earum habent, Gai. Inst. 1, 6; cf.: praesidis nomen generale est, eo quod et proconsules et legati Caesaris, et omnes provincias regentes (licet senatores sint) praesides appellentur, Dig. 1, tit. 18.