rector — Lewis & Short
rector, ōris, m.rego,
I a guider, leader, director, ruler, master (cf.: moderator, gubernator).
I Lit. (mostly post-Aug.), of a helmsman:
navium rectores,Cic. Div. 1, 14, 24; so Verg. A. 5, 161; 176; Ov. M. 2. 186; 6, 232; 11, 482; 493; id. Tr. 1, 2, 31; of a horseman, id. A. A. 2, 433; Sil. 17, 138; Tac. Agr. 36 fin.; id. A. 1, 65; Suet. Tit. 4; of an elephant-driver, Liv. 27, 49; 44, 5; Curt. 8, 14, 9; of a herdsman, Plin. Ep. 8, 17, 4.—
II Trop., a ruler, leader, governor, etc. (class.):
inesse aliquem non solum habitatorem in hac caelesti ac divinā domo, sed etiam rectorem et moderatorem et tamquam architectum tanti operis,Cic. N. D. 2, 35, 90:
rector et gubernator civitatis,id. Rep. 2, 29, 52; cf. id. ib. 5, 3, 5; 5, 4, 6; 6, 1, 1; 6, 13, 13; id. de Or. 1, 48, 211; Liv. 4, 14:
Thebarum,Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 74:
Dolopum,Ov. M. 12, 364:
populorum,id. ib. 7, 481; cf.
, of the deity: quid sit summi rectoris ac domini numen,Cic. Fin. 4, 5, 11, so of Jupiter:
rector caelestūm, deūm, Olympi, etc.,Cat. 64, 204:
divūm,Verg. A. 8, 572:
superūm,Ov. M. 1, 668; 2, 60; 9, 498; 13, 599 al.;
of Neptune: pelagi, maris,id. ib. 1, 331; 4, 797; 11, 207; Stat. Achill. 1, 61 al.; of the ruler of a province, Tac. A. 2, 4; 12, 40; id. H. 2, 59; 85; Suet. Aug. 89; id. Vesp. 8; of the commander of an army, Tac. Agr. 28; id. H. 1, 87; 2, 11; 36; Suet. Aug. 89; Verg. A. 9, 173 Heyne; of a master of youth, a tutor, instructor, teacher, guide, Plin. Ep. 3, 3, 4; Suet. Aug. 48; id. Tib. 12; Tac. A. 1, 24; 3, 48; 13, 2:
bonorum rector (sapiens),Sen. Ep. 85, 38. —
Of inanim. or abstr. things: (sol) nec temporum modo terrarumque, sed siderum etiam ipsorum caelique rector,Plin. 2, 6, 4, § 12:
animus incorruptus, aeternus, rector humani generis,Sall. J. 2, 3, and v. rectrix; Quint. 12, 10, 56.