gŭbernātor, ōris, m. [guberno], a steersman, pilot (cf.: magister, navarchus, nauclerus, navicularius).
I Lit.: si tu proreta isti navi's, ego gubernator ero, Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 75; id. Am. 3, 2, 69: gubernator clavum tenens sedet in puppi quietus, Cic. de Sen. 6, 17; id. Phil. 7, 9, 27; id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 31, 100; id. de Inv. 1, 34, 58; id. Rep. 1, 40; 5, 3; Quint. 2, 17, 24; 34; 4, 1, 61; Verg. A. 3, 269; 5, 12; 6, 337 et saep.—Prov.: tranquillo quilibet gubernator est, Sen. Ep. 85 med. —
II Transf., a director , ruler , governor : cum in rebus animalibus aliud pro alio ponitur; ut de agitatore (Ennius): Gubernator magna contorsit equum vi, Quint. 8, 6, 9; the same, Enn. ap. Charis. p. 244 P. and ap. Diom. p. 451 ib. (Ann. v. 160 Vahl.): poli, i. e. God , Sen. Hippol. 903: custodes gubernatoresque rei publicae, Cic. Rab. Perd. 9, 26; cf.: quasi tutor et procurator rei publicae: sic enim appelletur, quicumque erit rector et gubernator civitatis, id. Rep. 2, 29.