praesĭdĭum, ii, n. [praeses].
I Lit., a presiding over; hence, defence , protection , help , aid , assistance; esp. of soldiers who are to serve as a guard , garrison , escort , or convoy : proficisci praesidio suis, Nep. Ages. 3: praesidio esse alicui, id. ib. 7: Caes. B. G. 1, 44: hanc sibi rem praesidio sperant futuram, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 65, § 167: tectus praesidio firmo amicorum, id. Sull. 18, 51: absque me foret et meo praesidio, etc., Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 61: ut meae stultitiae in justitiā tuā sit aliquid praesidii, Ter. Heaut. 646: in tutelā ac praesidio bellicae virtutis, Cic. Mur. 10, 22: Veneris praesidio ferox, Hor. C. 1, 15, 13.—Esp. of soldiers acting as a guard , convoy , escort : legiones, quae praesidio impedimentis erant, Caes. B. G. 2, 19: regale, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 30.—
II Transf.
A That which aids, defends, or protects, defence , assistance , protection : ad hoc ipsum judicium cum praesidio venit, Cic. Rosc. Am. 5, 13: armatorum, id. Phil. 2, 44, 112; cf.: O et praesidium, protector , Hor. C. 1, 1, 2: quantum praesidium perdis, Verg. A. 11, 58.—
2 In partic., in milit. lang., those who by their presence protect a place, a camp, or a supply of arms or provisions, a guard , garrison , convoy , escort , troops , soldiers , etc.: praesidium est dictum, quia extra castra praesidebant loco aliquo, quo tutior regio esset, Varr. L. L. 5, § 90 Müll.: occupatoque oppido, ibi praesidium collocat, garrison , Caes. B. G. 1, 38: (turres) praesidiis firmare, with a garrison , with troops , Sall. J. 23, 1: quam (Italiam) praesidiis confirmaretis, Cic. Agr. 1, 5, 16: obsidere atque occupare, id. ib. 2, 28, 75: ex oppido educere, Caes. B. C. 1, 13: dimittere, Cic. Fam. 2, 17, 3: oppido imponere, Liv. 24, 7: praesidium dedit, ut eo tuto perveniret, an escort , Nep. Ep. 4, 5: praesidium ex arce expellere, a garrison , id. ib. 10, 3: praesidium ex regionibus depellere, id. Paus. 2, 1: praesidia interficere, troops , id. Milt. 4, 1: praesidia custodiasque disponere, posts , pickets , Caes. B. G. 7, 55: Italia tota armis praesidiisque tenetur, troops , Cic. Att. 9, 3, 1: praesidia deducere, Caes. B. G. 2, 33: galeatum ponit ubique Praesidium, Juv. 8, 239.—
B Any place occupied by troops , as a hill, a camp, etc.; a post , station , intrenchment , fortification , camp : qui propter metum praesidium relinquit, leaves his post , Cic. Tusc. 3, 8, 17: praesidio decedere, Liv. 4, 29: procul in praesidio esse, Nep. Timo l. 1, 4: praesidium occupare et munire, Caes. B. C. 3, 45: cohortes ex proximis praesidiis deductae, id. B. G. 7, 87: milites in praesidiis disponere, id. ib. 7, 34: in praesidiis esse, in the camp , with the army , Cic. Lig. 9, 28: in adversariorum praesidiis, id. Rosc. Am. 43, 126: posito castello super vestigia paterni praesidii, fort , Tac. A. 1, 56: obsidium coepit per praesidia, redoubts , id. ib. 4, 49.—Trop.: de praesidio et statione vitae decedere, Cic. Sen. 26, 73.—
C In gen., aid , help , assistance of any kind, Plaut. Pers. 1, 3, 45: quod satis esset praesidii, dedit, every thing needful for his support and safety , Nep. Them. 8, 5: quaerere sibi praesidia periculis, et adjumenta honoribus, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 70: magnum sibi praesidium ad beatam vitam comparare, id. Tusc. 2, 1, 2: omnibus vel naturae, vel doctrinae praesidiis ad dicendum parati, id. de Or. 1, 9, 38: me biremis praesidio scaphae tutum aura feret, Hor. C. 3, 29, 62: ad praesidium aquae calidae decurritur, Col. 12, 50: praesidia afferre navem factura minorem, Juv. 12, 56.—Trop., defence , protection , help : fortissimum praesidium pudoris, Cic. Sull. 28, 77: insigne maestis praesidium reis, Hor. C. 2, 1, 13: si qua aliunde putas rerum exspectanda tuarum, Praesidia, Juv. 7, 23.—
2 In partic., a remedy against diseases: aurium morbis praesidium est, Plin. 22, 22, 44, § 90: contra serpentes praesidio esse, id. 28, 4, 7, § 35.