1. vindex — Lewis & Short
vindex, ĭcis, comm.vindico.
I One who lays legal claim to a thing, a claimant; hence, also, a maintainer, defender, protector, deliverer, liberator, vindicator:
vindex ab eo, quod vindicat, quominus is, qui prensus est, ab aliquo teneatur,Fest. p. 376 Müll.: ASSIDVO. VINDEX. ASSIDVVS. ESTO. PROLETARIO. CIVI. QVOI. QVIS. VOLET. VINDEX. ESTO, XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 16, 10, 5:
habeat sane populus tabellam quasi vindicem libertatis,Cic. Leg. 3, 17, 39:
aeris alieni,a defender, protector of debtors, id. Att. 2, 1, 11:
majestatis imperii,Liv. 28, 28, 14:
legum ac libertatis (M. Brutus),Suet. Rhet. 6:
injuriae,a protector from wrong, Liv. 3, 46, 6:
periculi,in peril, id. 10, 5, 5:
terrae (Hercules),Ov. M. 9, 241:
aurum Vindice decepto Graias misistis in urbes,id. ib. 7, 214:
nec deus intersit, nisi dignus vindice nodus Inciderit,Hor. A. P. 191:
honori posterorum tuorum ut vindex fieres,a preserver, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 18.—In apposition:
audita vox una (provoco) vindex libertatis,Liv. 3, 56, 6:
vindicibus pacatus viribus orbis,Ov. H. 9, 13.—
II An avenger, punisher, revenger:
conjurationis,Cic. Fam. 5, 6, 2:
custos ac vindex cupiditatum,id. Agr. 2, 9, 24:
vindex ultorque parentis,Ov. M. 5, 237.—Fem.:
Furiae deae ... vindices facinorum et scelerum,Cic. N. D. 3, 18, 46;
of Tisiphone,Stat. Th. 1, 80.—In apposition:
vindice flammā,Ov. M. 1, 230:
poena,Cat. 64, 192.