prae-sĭdĕo, sēdi (praesīdi in best MSS., Tac. A. 1, 76), ēre, v. n. and a. [sedeo], to sit before or in front of.
I Lit. (mostly postclass. and rare): pro aede Capitolini Jovis praesidere, Suet. Aug. 26.—
B Transf., in time, to sit beforehand : in cujus (Mutini) sinu nubentes praesident, ut, etc., Lact. 1, 20 fin. —
II Trop.
A To guard , watch , protect , defend.
α With dat.: ego hic tibi praesidebo, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 47: ego hic restitrix praesidebo, id. Truc. 4, 2, 5; id. Rud. 4, 4, 7: urbi, Cic. Phil. 13, 9, 20; Liv. 22, 11, 9; cf. id. 10, 17; 23, 32 init. ; 24, 40 init. ; 36, 5, 5; 38, 51, 8: Gallia, quae semper praesidet atque praesedit huic imperio libertatique communi, Cic. Phil. 5, 13, 37: huic urbi, atque huic imperio, id. Sull. 31, 86.—
β With acc.: socios, Sall. H. 2, 28 Dietsch: agros suos, id. ib. 3, 66: proximum Galliae litus, Tac. A. 4, 5: civium manus litora oceani praesidebat, id. ib. 4, 72.—
B To preside over , to have the care or management of , to superintend , direct , command (syn. praesum).
α With dat.: ut idem ad portas urbanis praesideat rebus, Caes. B. C. 1, 85: Mars...praesidet armis, Ov. F. 3, 85: Actiacis ludis, Suet. Tib. 6: spectaculis, id. Claud. 7.—
β With acc.: P. Atellio, qui Pannoniam praesidebat, who commanded in Pannonia , Tac. A. 12, 29: exercitum, to command , id. ib. 3, 39.—
γ With in and abl.: Metellus in agro Piceno praesidebat, Sall. C. 57, 2.—
δ Absol. : (in senatu) princeps praesidebat, presided , Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 10.
XII —Hence, praesĭdens , entis, P. a.; as subst.: a president , director , ruler (post-Aug. for praeses): superbia praesidentium, governors , Tac. A. 3, 40: praesidentium apparitores, Cod. Th. 8, 7, 13.