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.
